UCSB   LIBRARY 


*v. 

_/6'^-"  .07 

X 


MILES  STANDISH 


THE 


PURITAN  CAPTAIN. 


BY 


JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 


BOSTON: 
B.  B.  RUSSELL,  No.  55  CORNHILL. 

1875- 


MILES  STANDISH, 


THE 


PURITAN    CAPTAIN. 


BY  JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


BOSTON : 

B.  B.  RUSSELL,  No.  55  CORNHILL. 

1875- 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by 

DODD  &  MEAD, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


TO     THE    DESCENDANTS    OF 

CAPTAIN    MILES    STANDISH, 

NOW  NUMBERING  THOUSANDS, 

THIS    VOLUME    IS     RESPECTFULLY    INSCRIBED; 

WITH  THE  HOPE  THAT  NO  ONE  OF  THEM   MAY   EVER  DIM 

THE    LUSTRE    OF   THAT   NAME, 

TO   WHICH    THE  VIRTUES    OP    THEIR    DISTINGUISHED    ANCESTOR 
HAVE   ATTACHED   IMPERISHABLE   RENOWN. 

JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 


PREFACE. 

The  adventures  of  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  must  ever 
be  a  theme  of  absorbing  interest  to  all  their  descend- 
ants. Their  persecutions  in  England,  their  flight  to 
Holland,  their  passage  across  the  stormy  ocean,  this 
new  world,  as  they  found  it,  swept  by  the  storms  of 
approaching  winter,  their  struggles  with  the  hard- 
ships of  the  wilderness,  and  conflicts  with  the  fero- 
cious savage, — all  combine  in  forming  a  narrative 
replete  with  the  elements  of  entertainment  and  in- 
struction. 

Fortunately,  there  can  be  no  doubt  in  reference 
to  the  essential  facts.  All  these  events  have  oc- 
curred within  the  last  three  hundred  years,  a  period 
fully  covered  by  authentic  historical  documents.  In 
giving  occasional  extracts  from  these  documents,  I 
have  deemed  it  expedient  to  modernize  the  spelling, 
and  occasionally  to  exchange  an  unintelligible,  obso- 
lete word  for  one  now  In  use. 

For  a  period  of  about  forty  years,  Captain  Miles 
Standish  was  intimately  associated  with  the  Pilgrims. 


ii  PREFACE. 

His  memory  is  inseparably  connected  with  theirs. 
It  has  been  a  constant  pleasure  to  the  author  to 
endeavor  to  rear  a  worthy  tribute  to  the  heroic 
captain  and  the  noble  man,  who  was  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  of  those  who  laid  the  foundations 
of  this  great  Republic. 

JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 
FAIR  HAVEN,  CONN. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAG* 

Elizabeth's  Act  of  Uniformity. — Oppressive  Enactments. — King 
James  and  his  Measures. — Persecution  of  the  Non-Con- 
formists.— Plans  for  Emigration. — The  Unavailing  Attempt. 
— The  Disaster  near  Hull. — Cruel  Treatment  of  the  Cap- 
tives.— The  Exiles  at  Amsterdam. — Removal  to  Leyden. — 
Decision  to  Emigrate  to  America. — The  reasons. — Elder 
Brewster  Selected  as  Pastor. — The  Departure  from  Leyden. 
— Scene  at  Delft  Haven. — The  Embarkation 9 

CHAPTER  IL 

The  Departure  from  Southampton. — Hindrances. — Delay  at  Dart- 
mouth and  Plymouth. — Abandonment  of  the  Speedwell. — 
Sketch  of  Miles  Standish. — Death  at  Sea. — Perils  and  Threat- 
ened Mutiny. — Narrow  Escape  of  John  Howland. — Arrival 
at  Cape  Cod. — Testimony  of  Governor  Bradford. — The  Civil 
Contract. — John  Carver  Chosen  Governor. — The  First  Ex- 
ploring Tour. — The  Sabbath 30 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Repairing  the  Shallop. — The  Second  Exploring  Tour. — Interest- 
ing Discoveries. — Return  to  the  Ship. — A  Week  of  Labor. — 
The  Third  Exploring  Tour. — More  Corn  Found.— Perplex- 
ity of  the  Pilgrims. — The  Fourth  Expedition. — The  First 
Encounter. — Heroism  of  the  Pilgrims. — Night  of  Tempest 
and  Peril. — A  Lee  Shore  Found. — Sabbath  on  the  Island, . .  44 


IV  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PAGB 

The  Voyage  Resumed. — Enter  an  Unknown  Harbor. — Aspect  of 
the  Land. — Choose  it  for  their  Settlement. — The  Mayflower 
Enters  the  Harbor. — Sabbath  on  Shipboard. — Exploring  the 
Region. — The  Storm  and  Exposure. — The  Landing. — View 
from  the  Hill. — Arduous  Labors. — The  Alarm. — Arrange- 
ment of  the  Village. — The  Evident  Hostility  of  the  Indians. 
— Gloomy  Prospects. — Expedition  of  Captain  Standish. — 
Billington  Sea. — Lost  in  the  Woods. — Adventures  of  the 
Lost  men. — The  Alarm  of  .Fire 71 

CHAPTER   V. 

Days  of  Sunshine  and  Storm. — Ravages  of  Pestilence. — A  Rag- 
ing Storm. — New  Alarm  of  Fire. — Twelve  Indians  Seen. — 
Two  Indians  Appear  on  the  Hill. — Great  Alarm  in  the  Set- 
tlement.— Measures  of  Defense. — More  Sunny  Days.— Hu- 
manity and  Self-Denial  of  Miles  Standish  and  Others. — 
Conduct  of  the  Ship's  Crew. — Excursion  to  Billington  Sea. 
— The  Visit  of  Samoset. — Treachery  of  Captain  Hunt. — The 
Shipwrecked  Frenchmen. — The  Plague. — The  Wampano- 
ags. — More  Indian  Visitors. — Bad  Conduct  of  the  Billing- 
tons .' 92 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Two  Savages  on  the  Hill. — The  Return  of  Samoset  with  Squan- 
turn. — The  Story  of  Squantum. — The  Visit  of  Massasoit  and 
His  Warriors. — Etiquette  of  the  Barbarian  and  Pilgrim 
Courts. — The  Treaty. — Return  of  the  Mayflower  to  Eng- 
land.— A  View  of  Plymouth. — Brighter  Days. — Visit  of 
Messrs.  Winslow  and  Hopkins  to  the  Seat  of  Massasoit. — 
Incidents  of  the  Journey 117 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Lost  Boy. — The  Expedition  to  Nauset — Interesting  Adven- 
tures.— The  Mother  of  the  Kidnapped  Indians. — Tyanough. — 


CONTENTS.  V 

PACK 

Payment  for  the  Corn. — Aspinet,  the  Chief. — The  Boy  Recov- 
ered.— Alarming  Intelligence. — Hostility  of  Corbitant. — The 
Friendship  of  Hobbomak. — Heroic  Achievement  of  Miles 
Standish. — The  Midnight  Attack. — Picturesque  Spectacle. — 
Results  of  the  Adventure. — Visit  to  Massachusetts. — The 
Squaw  Sachem. — An  Indian  Fort. — Charming  Country. — 
Glowing  Reports 145 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Arrival  of  the  Fortune. — Object  of  the  Pilgrims  in  their  Emigra- 
tion.— Character  of  the  New-Comers. — Mr.  Winslow's  Letter. 
— The  First  Thanksgiving. — Advice  to  Emigrants. — Christ- 
mas Anecdote. — Alarming  Rumor. — The  Narragansets. — 
Curious  Declaration  of  War. — The  Defiance. — Fortifying  the 
Village.— The  Meeting  in  Council  and  the  Result. — The 
Alarm. — The  Shallop  Recalled 164 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Double-Dealing  of  Squantum. — False  Alarm. — Voyage  to 
Massachusetts. — Massasoit  Demands  Squantum. — The  Arri- 
val of  the  Boat. — The  Virginia  Massacre. — Preparations  for 
Defense. — Arrival  of  the  Charity  and  the  Swan. — Vile  Char- 
acter of  the  Weymouth  Colonists. — Arrival  of  the  Discovery. 
— Starvation  at  Weymouth. — Danger  of  the  Plymouth  Col- 
ony.— Expeditions  for  Food. — Death  of  Squantum. — Voyage 
to  Massachusetts  and  the  Cape 187 

CHAPTER   X. 

Search  for  Corn. — Trip  to  Buzzard's  Bay. — Interesting  Incident. 
— Energy  and  Sagacity  of  Captain  Standish. — Hostile  In- 
dications.— Insolence  of  Witeewamat. — The  Plot  Defeated. 
— Sickness  of  Massasoit. — The  Visit. — Gratitude  of  the 
Chief. — Visit  to  Corbitant. — Condition  of  the  Weymouth 
Colony. — The  Widespread  Coalition. — Military  Expedition 
of  Captain  Standish. — His  Heroic  Adventures. — End  of  the 
Weymouth  Colony 209 


VI  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XL 

PACK 

Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson. — Defense  of  Captain  Stand- 
„  ish. — New  Policy  Introduced. — Great  Destitution. — Day  of 
Fasting  and  Prayer. — ^Answer  to  Prayer. — The  First  Thanks- 
giving.— The  Colony  at  Weymouth. — Worthless  Character 
of  the  Colonists. — Neat  Cattle  from  England. — Captain 
Standish  Sent  to  England. — Captain  Wollaston  and  His 
Colony.  —  Heroism  of  Captain  Standish.  —  Morton  Van- 
quished.— Difficulty  at  Cape  Ann. — Increasing  Emigration. 
— The  Division  of  Property 232 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Virginia  Emigrants. — Humanity  and  Enterprise  of  the  Gov- 
ernor.— Envoy  Sent  to  England.  — Trading-Posts  on  the 
Kennebec  and  Penobscot  Rivers. — Capture  by  the  French. 
— The  Massachusetts  Colony. — Its  Numbers  and  Distin- 
guished Characters. — Trade  with  the  Indians. — Wampum 
the  New  Currency. — Trading-Post  at  Sandwich. — Sir  Chris- 
topher Gardener. — Captain  Standish  Moves  to  Duxbury. — 
Lament  of  Governor  Bradford 257 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

Removal  to  Duxbury. — Intercourse  with  the  Dutch. — Trading- 
Posts  on  the  Connecticut. — Legend  of  the  Courtship  of 
Miles  Standish. — Personal  Appearance  of  the  Captain. — 
Proposition  to  John  Alden. — His  Anguish  and  Fidelity. — 
Interview  with  Priscilla. — The  Indian  Alarm. — Departure  of 
Captain  Standish. — Report  of  his  Death. — The  Wedding.. . .  281 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Menace  of  the  Narragansets. — Roger  Williams. — Difficulty  on 
the  Kennebec. — Bradford's  Narrative. — Captain  Standish  as 
Mediator. — The  French  on  the  Penobscot. — Endeavors  to 
Regain  the  Lost  Port. — Settlements  on  the  Connecticut 


CONTENTS.  vil 

PAG* 

River. — Mortality  Among  the  Indians. — Hostility  of  the 
Pequots.— Efforts  to  Avert  War. — The  Pequot  Forts. — 
Death  of  Elder  Brewster. — His  Character 301 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Friendship  Between  Captain  Standish  and  Mr.  Brewster.— Char- 
acter of  Mr.  Brewster. — His  Death  and  Burial. — Mode  of 
Worship. — Captain's  Hill. — Difficulty  with  the  Narragansets. 
— Firmness  and  Conciliation. — Terms  of  Peace. — Plans  for 
Removal  from  Plymouth. — Captain  Standish's  Home  in  Dux- 
bury. — Present  Aspect  of  the  Region 332 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

The  Will  of  Captain  Standish. — His  Second  Wife. — Captain's 
Hill. — The  Monument. — Letters  from  President  Grant  and 
General  Hooker. — Oration  by  General  Horace  Binney  Sar- 
gent.— Sketch  of  his  Life. — Other  Speakers. — Laying  the 
Corner  Stone. — Description  of  the  Shaft 358 


CHAPTER  I. 
The  Pilgrims  in  Holland. 

Elizabeth's  Act  of  Uniformity. — Oppressive  Enactments. — King 
James  and  his  Measures. — Persecution  of  the  Non-Conform- 
ists.— Plans  for  Emigration. — The  Unavailing  Attempt. — The 
Disaster  near  Hull. — Cruel  Treatment  of  the  Captives. — The 
Exiles  at  Amsterdam. — Removal  to  Leyden. — Decision  to  Emi- 
grate to  America. — The  reasons. — Elder  Brewster  Selected  as 
Pastor. — The  Departure  from  Leyden. — Scene  at  Delft  Haven. — 
The  Embarkation. 

Elizabeth,  the  maiden  queen  of  England,  com- 
menced her  long  and  eventful  reign  by  issuing  in 
May,  1659  a  law  concerning  religion  entitled  the 
"  Act  of  Uniformity."  By  this  law  all  ministers  were 
prohibited  from  conducting  public  worship  otherwise 
than  in  accordance  with  minute  directions  for  the 
Church  of  England,  issued  by  Parliament.  Any  one 
who  should  violate  this  law  was  exposed  to  severe 
penalties,  and  upon  a  third  offence  to  imprisonment 
for  life. 

England,  having  broken  from  the  Church  of 
Rome,  and  having  established  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, of  which  the  queen  was  the  head,  Elizabeth  and 
her  counsellors  were  determined,  at  whatever  cost,  to 


10  MILES   STAND1SH. 

enforce  entire  uniformity  of  doctrines  and  of  modes 
of  worship.  In  their  new  organization  they  retained 
many  of  the  ceremonies  and  much  of  the  imposing 
display  of  the  Papal  Church.  There  were  very  many 
of  the  clergy  and  of  the  laity  who,  displeased  with 
the  pageantry  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with 
its  gilded  robes  and  showy  ceremonial,  were  resolved 
to  cherish  a  more  simple  and  pure  worship.  They 
earnestly  appealed  for  the  abolition  of  this  oppressive 
act.  Their  petition  was  refused  by  a  majority  of  but 
one  in  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  in  the 
House  of  Commons. 

The  queen  was  unrelenting,  and  demanded  uni- 
formity in  the  most  peremptory  terms.  Thirty-seven 
out  of  the  ninety-eight  ministers  of  London  were  ar- 
rested for  violating  this  law.  They  were  all  sus- 
pended from  their  ministerial  functions,  and  fourteen 
of  them  were  sent  to  jail. 

There  were  now  three  ecclesiastical  parties  in  Eng- 
land— the  Papal  or  Roman  Catholic,  the  Episcopal, 
or  Church  of  England,  and  the  Presbyterian  or  Pu- 
ritan party.  The  sympathies  of  the  queen  and  of  her 
courtiers  .was  much  more  with  the  Papists  than  with 
the  Presbyterians,  and  it  was  greatly  feared  that  they 
would  go  over  to  their  side.  The  queen  grew  daily 
more  and  more  determined  to  enforce  the  discipline 
of  the  English  Church.  The  order  was  issued  that 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  II 

all  preachers  should  be  silenced  who  had  not  been 
ordained  by  Episcopal  hands,  or  who  refused  to  read 
the  whole  service  as  contained  in  the  Prayer  book,  or 
who  neglected  to  wear  the  prescribed  clerical  robes. 
Under  this  law  two  hundred  and  thirty-three  minis- 
ters, in  six  counties,  were  speedily  deposed.  A  Court 
of  High  Commission  was  appointed  invested  with  ex- 
traordinary powers  to  arrest  and  punish  all  delin- 
quents. 

Any  private  person  who  should  absent  himself 
from  the  Episcopal  Church  for  a  month,  or  who  should 
dissuade  others  from  attending  that  form  of  worship, 
or  from  receiving  the  communion  from  an  Episcopal 
clergyman,  or  who  should  be  present  at  any  "  conventi- 
cle or  meeting  under  color  or  pretence  of  any  exercise 
of  religion,"  should  be  punished  with  imprisonment 
and  should  be  held  there  until  he  signed  the  "  Declar- 
ation o  Conformity."  Or  in  default  of  such  declara- 
tion he  was  to  be  sent  to  perpetual  exile  under  penal- 
ty of  death  if  he  were  ever  again  found  within  the 
British  realms. 

Notwithstanding  that  many  were  banished,  and 
some  died  in  prison  and  several  were  hanged,  the 
cause  of  dissent  secretly  gained  ground.  As  they 
were  deliberating  in  the  House  of  Commons  upon  a 
more  rigid  law  to  compel  all  to  adopt  the  same  creed 
and  the  same  modes  of  Worship,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 


12  MILES   STANDISH. 

said  that  he  thought  that  there  were  then  nearly 
twenty  thousand  dissenters  in  England.  Many  driven 
from  their  homes  by  this  violent  persecution  emi- 
grated to  Holland  where,  under  Protestant  rule  there 
was  freedom  of  religious  worship. 

Upon  the  accession  of  James  the  Sixth  of  Scot- 
land to  the  throne  of  England,  eight  hundred  clergy- 
men petitioned  for  redress.  Among  other  things  they 
prayed  for  the  disuse  of  the  cap  and  surplice  in  the 
pulpit,  for  an  abridgement  of  the  Liturgy,  for  the  bet- 
ter observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  for  a  dispensa- 
tion of  the  observance  of  other  holy  days  ;  that  none 
but  pious  men  should  be  admitted  to  the  ministry,  and 
that  ministers  should  reside  in  their  parishes  and 
preach  on  the  Lord's  day.  To  this  appeal  the  king 
turned  a  deaf  ear.  In  a  conference  which  was  held 
upon  the  subject,  in  Hampton  court,  the  petitioners 
were  received  with  contumely  and  insult.  The  king 
refused  to  pay  any  respect  to  private  consciences,  say- 
ing, "  I  will  have  one  doctrine,  one  discipline,  one  re- 
ligion. And  I  will  make  you  conform  or  I  will  harry 
you  out  of  this  land  or  else  worse." 

A  book  of  Common  Prayer  was  published  as  "the 
only  public  form  established  in  this  realm,"  and  all 
were  required  to  conform  to  its  ritual  and  discipline 
as  the  king's  resolutions  were  unchangeable.  Ten 
of  the  petitioners  for  a  redress  of  grievances  were 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  13 

sent  to  jail.  The  king  himself,  a  conceited  pedant, 
drew  up  a  Book  of  Canons  consisting  of  one  hundred 
and  forty-one  articles,  expressed  in  the  most  arrogant 
style  of  pretensions  to  infallibility.  The  clergy  and 
the  laity  were  alike  commanded  to  submit  to  them 
under  penalty  of  excommunication,  imprisonment  and 
outlawry.  The  importation  of  all  religious  books 
from  the  Continent  was  prohibited.  No  religious 
book  could  be  published  in  England  unless  approved 
by  a  court  of  Bishops.  It  is  estimated  that,  at  that 
time  there  were  fifteen  hundred  Non-Conformist  cler- 
gymen in  England.  Bishop  Coverdale,  with  many 
others  of  the  most  prominent  ecclesiastics  of  the 
Episcopal  church,  publicly  announced  their  refusal  to 
subscribe  to  the  Liturgy  or  to  adopt  the  ceremonies 
it  enjoined.  In  their  protest  they  declared  that  since 
"  they  could  not  have  the  Word  freely  preached,  and 
the  sacraments  administered  without  idolatrous  gear, 
they  concluded  to  break  off  from  the  public  churches 
and  separate  in  private  houses." 

The  persecution  of  the  Non-Conformists  was  con- 
tinued with  so  much  vigor,  that  the  friends  of  religious 
reform  became  hopeless.  Some  sought  refuge  in  con- 
cealment, while  many  fled  from  their  country  to  Hol- 
land where,  the  principles  of  Protestantism  prevail- 
ing, there  was  freedom  of  worship.  In  the  county  of 
Nottinghamshire,  England,  there  was  a  small  village 


14  MILES   STANDISH. 

called  Scrooby,  where  there  was  a  congregation  of 
Non-Conformists,  meeting  secretly  from  house  to 
house.  This  was  about  the  year  1606.  A  recent 
traveller  gives  the  following  interesting  description  of 
the  present  appearance  of  the  little  hamlet,  which 
more  than  two  and  a  half  centuries  ago  was  rendered 
memorable  by  the  sufferings  of  the  Puritans : 

"  The  nearest  way  from  Austerfield  to  Scrooby  is 
by  a  path  through  the  fields.  Unnoticed  in  our  his- 
tory as  these  places  have  been  till  within  a  few  years, 
it  is  likely  that  when,  towards  sunset  on  the  i$th  of 
September  1856",  I  walked  along  that  path,  I  was  the 
first  person,  related  to  the  American  Plymouth,  who 
had  done  so  since  Bradford  trod  it  last  before  his 
exile.  I  slept  in  a  farm-house  at  Scrooby  and  recon- 
noitered  that  village  the  next  morning.  Its  old  church 
fs  a  beautiful  structure.  At  the  distance  from  it  of  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  the  dyke,  round  the  vanished  manor 
house,  may  still  be  traced ;  and  a  farmer's  house  is 
believed  to  be  part  of  the  ancient  stables  or  dog  ken- 
nels. In  what  was  the  garden  is  a  mulberry  tree  so 
old  that  generations,  before  Brewster,  may  have  re- 
galed themselves  with  its  fruit.  The  local  tradition 
declares  it  to  have  been  planted  by  Cardinal  Wolsey, 
during  his  sojourn  at  the  manor  for  some  weeks  after 
his  fall  from  power." 

The  little  church  of  Non-Conformists  at  Scrooby 


THE  PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  15 

had  Richard  Clifton  for  pastor  and  John  Robinson  for 
teacher.  William  Brewster,  who  subsequently  at- 
tained to  much  distinction  as  pastor  of  the  Puritan 
church  in  Plymouth,  New  England,  was  then  a  private 
member  of  the  church.  This  little  band  of  Christians 
decided  to  emigrate  in  a  body  to  Holland  that  they 
might  there  worship  God  in  freedom. 

It  was  a  great  trial  to  these  Christians  to  break 
away  from  their  country,  their  homes,  and  their  em- 
ployments, to  seek  exile  in  a  land  of  strangers.  To 
add  to  their  embarrassments  cruel  laws  were  passed 
forbidding  the  emigration  of  any  of  the  Non-Con- 
formists or  Puritans  as  they  began  to  be  called. 
Bands  of  armed  men  vigilantly  guarded  all  the  sea- 
ports. Governor  Bradford,  who  shared  conspicuously 
in  these  sufferings,  wrote : 

"They  could  not  long  continue  in  any  peaceable 
condition,  but  were  hunted  and  persecuted  on  every 
side.  Some  were  taken  and  clapped  up  in  prison. 
Others  had  their  houses  beset  and  watched  night  and 
day,  and  hardly  escaped  capture.  The  most  were 
fain  to  fly  and  leave  their  houses  and  habitations  and 
the  means  of  their  livelihood.  Yet  seeing  themselves 
thus  molested,  by  a  joint  consent  they  resolved  to  go 
into  the  Low  Countries  where  they  heard  was  freedom 
of  religion  for  all  men ;  as  also  that  sundry  persons 
from  London,  and  other  parts  of  the  land,  had  been 


1 6  MILES   STAND1SH. 

exiled  and  persecuted  for  the  same  cause,  and  were 
gone  thither,  and  lived  at  Amsterdam  and  other 
places  of  the  land. 

"  Being  thus  constrained  to  leave  their  native  soil 
and  country,  their  lands  and  living,  and  all  their 
friends  and  familiar  acquaintance,  it  was  much,  and 
thought  marvellous  by  many.  But  to  go  into  a  coun- 
try they  knew  not  except  by  hearsay,  where  they  must 
learn  a  new  language,  and  get  their  livings  they  knew 
not  how,  it  being  an  expensive  place  and  subject  to 
the  miseries  of  war,  it  was  by  many  thought  an  ad- 
venture almost  desperate,  a  case  intolerable,  and  a 
misery  worse  than  death.  Especially  seeing  they 
were  not  acquainted  with  trades  or  traffic,  by  which 
the  country  doth  subsist,  but  had  been  only  used  to 
a  plain  country  life  and  the  innocent  trade  of  hus- 
bandry. 

"But  these  things  did  not  dismay  them,  though 
they  did  at  times  trouble  them,  for  their  desires  were 
set  on  the  ways  of  God  and  to  enjoy  his  ordinances. 
But  they  rested  on  His  providence  and  knew  whom 
they  had  believed.  Yet  this  was  not  all ;  for  though 
they  could  not  stay,  yet  were  they  not  suffered  to  go ; 
but  the  ports  and  havens  were  shut  against  them  ;  so 
as  they  were  fain  to  seek  secret  means  of  conveyance, 
and  to  bribe  and  fee  the  mariners,  and  give  extraor- 
dinary rates  for  their  passages.  And  yet  they  were 


THE  PILGRIMS    IN   HOLLAND.  17 

often  betrayed,  many  of  them,  and  both  they  and  their 
goods  intercepted  and  surprised,  and  thereby  put  to 
great  trouble." 

The  company  at  Scrooby  however  secretly  char- 
tered a  vessel,  at  Boston,  in  Lincolnshire,  about  fifty 
miles  south-east  from  Scrooby,  the  nearest  port  for 
their  purpose.  The  peril  of  the  enterprise  was  so 
great  that  they  had  to  practise  the  utmost  caution 
and  to  pay  exorbitant  passage  money.  They  trav- 
elled by  land  to  the  appointed  rendezvous,  where  to 
their  bitter  disappointment,  they  found  neither  cap- 
tain nor  vessel.  After  a  long  delay  and  heavy  ex- 
penses, for  which  they  were  quite  unprepared,  the 
vessel  made  its  appearance  and,  in  the  night,  all  were 
received  on  board.  Then  this  infamous  captain,  hav- 
ing previously  agreed  to  do  so  for  his  "thirty  pieces 
of  silver,"  betrayed  them,  and  delivered  them  all  up 
to  the  search  officers. 

Rudely  they  were  seized,  their  trunks  broken 
open,  their  clothing  confiscated,  and  even  the  persons 
of  their  women  searched  with  cruel  indelicacy.  Thus 
plundered  and  outraged  they  were  placed  in  open 
boats  and  taken  to  the  shore,  where  they  were  ex- 
hibited to  the  derisive  gaze  and  the  jeers  of  an  igno- 
rant and  a  brutal  populace.  A  despatch  was  imme- 
diately sent  to  the  Lords  of  the  Council  in  London, 
and  they  were  all  committed  to  prison.  After  gloomy 


1 8  MILES   STANDISH. 

incarceration  for  a  month,  Mr.  Brewster  and  six  others 
of  the  most  prominent  men  were  bound  over  for  trial, 
and  the  rest  were  released,  woe-stricken,  sick  and 
impoverished,  to  find  their  way  back,  as  best  they 
could,  to  the  Scrooby  which  they  had  left,  and  where 
they  no  longer  had  any  homes.  Oh  man!  what  a 
fiend  hast  thou  been  in  the  treatment  of  thy  brother 
man ! 

The  next  Spring  a  portion  of  these  resolute  men 
and  women  made  another  attempt  to  escape  to  Hol- 
land. They  did  not  venture  again  to  trust  one  of 
their  own  countrymen,  but  made  a  contract  with  a 
a  Dutch  shipmaster,  from  Zealand.  He  agreed  to 
have  his  vessel,  at  an  appointed  day,  in  a  retired  spot 
upon  the  river  Humber,  not  far  from  the  seaport  of 
Hull.  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  women  and 
children,  with  their  few  goods,  to  be  floated  down  the 
Humber  in  a  barque,  while  the  men  made  the  journey 
by  land.  This  was  all  done  under  the  protection  of 
night. 

The  Humber  here  swells  into  a  bay,  a  long  and 
wide  arm  of  the  sea.  The  wind  was  high,  and  the 
little  barque,  plunging  over  the  waves,  made  the 
women  and  children  deadly  sea  sick.  Having  ar- 
rived near  their  point  of  destination,  before  the  dawn 
of  the  morning  and  the  vessel  not  yet  having  arrived, 
the  boatmen  put  into  a  little  creek  to  find  still  water. 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  19 

Here  the  receding  tide  left  them  aground.  In  the 
morning  came  the  ship.  The  captain,  seeing  the 
barque  containing  the  women  and  children  aground, 
and  the  men,  who  had  come  by  land  walking  near  by 
upon  the  shore,  sent  his  boat  to  bring  the  men  on 
board,  that  they  might  be  already  there  when  the  re- 
turning tide  should  float  the  barque.  One  crowded 
boat  load  had  reached  the  ship  when  a  body  of  armed 
men,  horse  and  foot,  was  seen  rapidly  approaching. 
The  captain  was  terrified.  Fine,  imprisonment,  and 
perhaps  a  worse  fate  awaited  him.  Uttering  an  oath, 
he  weighed  anchor,  spread  his  sails,  and  a  fresh 
breeze  soon  carried  him  out  to  sea. 

Dreadful  indeed  was  the  condition  of  those  thus 
abandoned  to  the  insults  and  outrages  of  a  brutal 
soldiery.  Husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children 
were  separated.  The  anguish  of  those,  thus  torn  from 
their  families,  on  board  the  ship,  was  no  less  than  the 
distress  of  the  mothers  and  daughters  left  upon  the 
shore. 

V 

A  storm  soon  rose — a  terrific  storm.  For  seven 
days  and  nights  the  ship  was  at  the  mercy  of  the 
gale,  without  sight  of  sun  or  moon  or  stars.  The 
ship  was  driven  near  to  the  coast  of  Norway  ;  and 
more  than  once  the  mariners  thought  the  ship  sink- 
ing past  all  recovery.  At  length  the  gale  abated  and, 
fourteen  days  after  they  had  weighed  anchor,  the 


2O  MILES  STANDISH. 

vessel  reached  Amsterdam,  where  from  the  long 
voyage  and  the  fury  of  the  tempest,  their  friends  had 
almost  despaired  of  ever  again  seeing  them. 

But  let  us  return  to  those  who  were  left  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Humber.  They  were  all  captured. 
Deplorable  was  the  condition  of  these  unhappy  victims 
of  religious  intolerance,  women  and  children  weeping 
bitterly  in  their  despair.  Some  of  the  men,  who 
knew  that  the  rigors  of  the  law  would  fall  upon  them 
with  the  greatest  severity,  escaped.  But  most  of 
those  who  had  been  left  behind  by  the  ship  allowed 
themselves  to  be  taken  to  share  the  fate  of  the  desti- 
tute and  helpless  women  and  children,  that  they  might 
if  possible,  assist  them.  The  troops  were  very  cruel 
in  the  treatment  of  their  prisoners.  They  were 
roughly  seized  and  hurried  from  one  justice  to 
another,  the  officers  being  much  embarrassed  to 
know  what  to  do  with  them. 

Governor  Bradford,  who  witnessed  these  scenes, 
writes : — "  Pitiful  it  was  to  see  the  heavy  care  of 
these  poor  women  in  this  distress  ;  what  weeping  and 
crying  on  every  side ;  some  for  their  husbands  that 
were  carried  away  in  the  ship ;  others  not  knowing 
what  would  become  of  them  and  their  little  ones ; 
others  melted  in  tears  seeing  their  little  ones  hanging 
about  them,  crying  for  fear  and  quaking  with  cold." 

In  view  o*  their  sufferings  general  sympathy  was 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  21 

excited  in  their  behalf.  It  seemed  inhuman  to  im- 
prison, in  gloomy  cells  of  stone  and  iron,  women  and 
innocent  children,  simply  because  they  had  intended 
to  accompany  their  husbands  and  fathers  to  another 
land.  It  was  of  no  use  to  fine  them,  for  they  had 
no  means  of  paying  a  fine.  Neither  could  they  be 
sent  to  their  former  homes,  for  their  houses  and 
lands  had  already  been  sold,  in  preparation  for  their 
removal. 

At  last  the  poor  creatures  were  turned  adrift.  No 
historic  pen  has  recorded  the  details  of  their  suffer- 
ings. Some  undoubtedly  perished  of  exposure.  Some 
were  kindly  sheltered  by  the  charitable,  and  some 
succeeded  in  various  ways  in  crossing  the  sea  to  Am- 
sterdam. There  were  similar  persecutions  in  other 
parts  of  England.  Quite  a  large  company  of  pilgrims 
from  various  sections  of  England  had  succeeded,  some 
in  one  way  and  some  in  another,  in  effecting  their 
escape  to  Holland.  They  had  nearly  all  taken  up 
their  residence  in  Amsterdam.  This  flourishing  city 
was  so  called  because  it  had  sprung  up  around  a  dam 
which  had  been  thrown  across  the  mouth  of  the  Amstel 
river.  It  was  even  then  renowned  for  its  stately  build- 
ings, its  extended  commerce  and  its  opulence.  Ships, 
from  every  clime,  lined  its  wharfs;  water  craft  of 
every  variety  and  in  almost  countless  numbers  floated 
upon  its  canals,  which  took  the  place  of  streets. 


22  MILES   STANDISH. 

From  many  parts  of  Europe  Protestants  had  fled  to 
this  city,  bringing  with  them  their  arts,  manufactures 
and  skill  in  trade.  The  emigrants  from  Scrooby  were 
nearly  all  farmers.  They  had  no  money  to  purchase 
lands,  and  they  found  it  very  difficult  to  obtain  re- 
munerative employment  in  the  crowded  streets  of  the 
commercial  city.  Governor  Bradford  writes,  of  his 
companions  in  affliction: 

"  They  heard  a  strange  and  uncouth  language  and 
beheld  the  different  manners  and  customs  of  the  peo- 
ple with  their  strange  fashions  and  attires;  all  so 
different  from  their  plain  country  villages,  wherein 
they  were  bred  and  had  so  long  lived,  as  it  seemed 
they  were  come  into  a  new  world.  But  these  were 
not  the  things  they  much  looked  on,  or  which  long 
took  up  their  thoughts.  For  they  had  other  work  in 
hand  and  another  kind  of  war  to  urge  and  maintain. 
For  it  was  not  long  before  they  saw  the  grim  and 
grisly  face  of  poverty  come  on  them,  like  an  armed 
man,  with  whom  they  must  buckle  and  encounter  and 
from  whom  they  could  not  fly." 

The  new  comers  did  not  find  perfect  harmony  of 
agreement  with  those  who  had  preceded  them.  After 
a  few  months  tarry  at  Amsterdam  they  retired  in  a 
body  to  Leyden,  a  beautiful  city  of  seventy  thousand 
inhabitants,  about  forty  miles  distant.  In  allusion  to 
this  movement  Governor  Bradford  writes  : 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  23 

"  For  these  and  some  other  reasons  they  removed 
to  Leyden,  a  fair  and  beautiful  city,  and  of  a  sweet 
situation ;  but  made  more  famous  by  the  university, 
wherewith  it  is  adorned,  in  which  of  late  had  been  so 
many  learned  men.  But  wanting  that  traffic  by  sea 
which  Amsterdam  enjoys,  it  was  not  so  beneficial  for 
their  outward  means  of  living.  But  being  now  estab- 
lished here,  they  fell  to  such  trades  and  employments 
as  they  best  could ;  valuing  peace  and  their  spiritual 
comfort  above  any  other  riches  whatever. 

"Being  thus  settled,  after  many  difficulties,  they 
continued  many  years  in  a  comfortable  condition,  en- 
joying much  sweet  and  delightful  society,  and  spiritual 
comfort  together  in  the  ways  of  God,  under  the  able 
ministry  of  Mr.  John  Robinson  and  Mr.  William 
Brewster,  who  was  an  assistant  unto  him,  in  the  place 
of  an  Elder,  unto  which  he  was  now  called  and  chosen 
by  the  church.  So  they  grew  in  knowledge  and  other 
gifts  and  graces  of  God,  and  lived  together  in  peace 
and  love  and  holiness;  and  many  came  unto  them 
from  diverse  parts  of  England  so  as  they  grew  a  great 
congregation. 

"  And  if  at  any  time  any  differences  arose,  or  of- 
fenses broke  out,  as  it  cannot  be  but  some  time  there 
will,  even  among  the  best  of  men,  they  were  even  so 
met  with  and  nipped  in  the  head  betimes,  or  other- 
wise so  well  composed  as  still  love,  peace  and  com- 
munion were  continued." 


24  MILES   STANDISH. 

The  condition  of  the  Pilgrims  in  Holland  was  a  very 
hard  one.  They  were  foreigners  ;  they  found  the  lan- 
guage difficult  to  acquire.  They  were  generally  poor, 
and  notwithstanding  their  honesty  and  frugality,  could 
obtain  but  a  scanty  support.  Their  sons  were  strongly 
tempted  to  enlist  as  soldiers,  or  to  wander  away  as 
sailors.  The  future  of  their  families  seemed  very 
gloomy. 

"  Lastly,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  and  which 
was  not  least,  a  great  hope  and  inward  zeal  they  had 
of  laying  some  good  foundation,  or  at  least  to  make 
some  way  thereunto  for  propagating  and  advancing 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  in  those  remote  parts  of  the 
world, — yea.,  though  they  should  be  but  the  stepping 
stones  unto  others  for  the  performing  of  so  great  a 
work." 

"  Their  numbers  assembled  at  Leyden  can  only  be 
conjectured.  It  may,  when  at  the  largest,  have  count- 
ed between  two  and  three  hundred  persons.  Rev. 
John  Robinson  was  chosen  their  pastor,  and  William 
Brewster  their  assistant  pastor." 

Thus  gradually  the  Pilgrims  came  to  the  convic- 
tion that  Holland  was  not  a  desirable  place  for  their 
permanent  home.  Notwithstanding  the  oppression 
which  they  had  endured  from  the  British  government, 
they  were  very  unwilling  to  lose  their  native  language 
or  the  name  of  Englishmen.  They  could  not  educate 


THE   PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  2$ 

their  children  as  they  wished,  and  it  was  quite  certain 
their  descendants  would  become  absorbed  and  lost  in 
the  Dutch  nation.  They  therefore  began  to  turn  their 
thoughts  to  the  New  World,  where  every  variety  of 
clime  invited  them,  and  where  boundless  acres  of  the 
most  fertile  land,  unoccupied,  seemed  to  be  waiting 
for  the  plough  of  the  husbandman.  "  Hereby  they 
thought  they  might  more  glorify  God,  do  more  good 
to  their  country,  better  provide  for  their  posterity,  and 
live  to  be  more  refreshed  by  their  labors  than  ever 
they  could  do  in  Holland."  * 

Unsuccessful  attempts  had  already  been  made  to 
establish  colonies  in  Maine  and  Virginia.  They  had 
also  received  appalling  reports  of  the  ferocity  of  the 
savages.  Deeply,  solemnly,  they  pondered  the  all  im- 
portant question  with  many  fastings  and  prayers. 
Bradford  writes  that, 

"  They  considered  that  all  great  and  honorable  ac- 
tions were  accompanied  with  great  difficulties,  and 
must  be  both  enterprised  and  overcome  with  answer- 
able courages.  The  dangers  were  great,  but  not  des- 
perate ;  the  difficulties  were  many,  but  not  invincible. 
For,  though  there  were  many  of  them  likely,  yet  they 
were  not  certain.  It  might  be,  sundry  of  the  things 
feared  might  never  befall ;  others,  by  provident  care 

*  Winslow's  Briefe  Narrative,  p.  31. 


26  MILES   STANDISH. 

and  the  use  of  good  means,  might,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, be  prevented.  And  all  of  them,  through  the  help 
of  God,  by  fortitude  and  patience,  might  either  be 
borne  or  overcome.  Their  ends  were  good  and  hon- 
orable, and  therefore  they  might  expect  the  blessing 
of  God  in  their  proceeding."  * 

The  Dutch  endeavored  to  induce  them  to  join  a 
feeble  colony  which  they  had  established  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Hudson  river.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  presented 
in  glowing  terms  the  claims  of  the  valley  of  the  Ori- 
noco, in  South  America,  which  river  he  had  recently 
explored  for  the  second  time. 

"We  passed,"  writes  the  enthusiastic  traveller, 
"  the  most  beautiful  country  that  my  eyes  ever  beheld. 
I  never  saw  a  more  beautiful  country  or  more  lively 
prospects.  There  is  no  country  which  yieldeth  more 
pleasure  to  its  inhabitants.  For  health,  good  air, 
pleasure,  riches,  I  am  resolved  that  it  cannot  be  equal- 
led by  any  region  either  in  the  east  or  west."  f 

There  was  a  small  struggling  English  colony  in 
Virginia  which  they  were  urged  to  join.  But  Brad- 
ford writes  that  they  were  afraid  that  they  should  be 
as  much  persecuted  there  for  their  religion  as  if  they 
lived  in  England.  After  pondering  for  some  time 
these  questions  and  perplexities,  they  decided  to  es- 

*  Bradford,  25,  26.  f  Works  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh. 


THE  PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  2/ 

tablish  a  distinct  colony  for  themselves,  obtaining  their 
lands  from  the  Virginia  Company  in  England.  A  del- 
egation was  sent  to  the  king  of  England,  soliciting 
from  him  a  grant  of  freedom  of  worship.  The  Vir- 
ginia Company  gladly  lent  its  co-operation  to  the  em- 
igrants. The  king,  however,  was  so  unrelenting  in 
his  desire  to  promote  religious  uniformity  throughout 
all  his  domains,  that  though  the  Secretary  of  State, 
and  others  high  in  authority,  urged  him  to  liberality, 
he  could  only  be  persuaded  to  give  his  reluctant  assent 
to  the  assurance  "  that  his  majesty  would  connive  at 
them,  and  not  molest  them,  provided  they  carried 
themselves  peaceably." 

The  very  important  question  now  arose,  Who 
should  go.  Manifestly  all  could  not  be  in  a  condition 
to  cross  a  wide  and  stormy  sea,  for  a  new  world,  never 
to  return.  As  only  a  minority  of  the  whole  number 
could  leave,  it  was  decided  that  their  pastor,  Mr.  Rob- 
inson, should  remain  with  those  left  behind,  while  El- 
der Brewster  should  accompany  the  emigrants  as  their 
spiritual  guide.  For  nearly  twelve  years  they  had  re- 
sided in  Leyden.  The  hour  of  their  departure  was  a 
sad  one  for  all.  Many  very  grievous  embarrassments 
were  encountered,  which  we  have  not  space  here  to 
record. 

A  small  vessel  of  but  sixty  tons  burden,  called  the 
Speedwell,  was  purchased,  and  was  in  the  harbor  at 


28  MILES   STANDISH. 

Delft  Haven,  twelve  miles  from  Leyden,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  pilgrims.  Their  friends,  who  remained, 
gave  them  a  parting  feast.  It  was  truly  a  religious 
festival. 

"  The  feast,"  writes  Winslow,  "  was  at  the  pastor's 
house,  which  was  large.  Earnest  were  the  prayers 
for  each  other,  and  mutual  the  pledges.  With  hymns 
prayers,  and  the  interchange  of  words  of  love  and 
cheer,  a  few  hours  were  passed."  The  pilgrims,  then, 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  in  number,  accompa- 
nied by  many  of  their  Leyden  friends,  repaired  on 
board  canal  boats,  and  were  speedily  conveyed  to  Delft 
Haven.  Here  another  parting  scene  took  place.  The 
description  of  it,  as  given  by  Bradford,  in  his  "  Briet 
Narration,"  is  worthy  of  record  : 

"  The  night  before  the  embarkation  was  spent  with 
little  sleep  by  the  most ;  but  with  friendly  entertain- 
ment and  Christian  discourse,  and  other  real  expres- 
sions of  true  Christian  love.  The  next  day,  the  wind 
being  fair,  they  went  on  board,  and  their  friends  with 
them,  where  truly  doleful  was  the  sight  of  that  sad 
and  mournful  parting.  To  see  what  sighs  and  sobs 
did  sound  among  them ;  what  tears  did  gush  from 
every  eye,  and  pithy  speeches  pierced  each  heart ;  that 
sundry  of  the  Dutch  strangers  that  stood  on  the  quay 
as  spectators,  could  not  refrain  from  tears.  Yet  com- 
fortable and  sweet  it  was  to  see  such  lively  and  true 


THE    PILGRIMS   IN   HOLLAND.  29 

expressions  of  dear  and  unfeigned  love.  But  the  tide, 
which  stays  for  no  man,  calling  them  away  that  were 
thus  loath  to  part,  their  reverend  pastor  falling  down 
upon  his  knees,  and  they  all,  with  him,  with  watery 
cheeks,  commended  them,  with  most  fervent  prayers 
to  the  Lord  and  His  blessing.  And  th'en,  with  mutual 
embraces  and  many  tears,  they  took  their  leaves  one 
of  another." 


CHAPTER  II. 
The  Voyage. 

The  Departure  from  Southampton. — Hindrances. — Delay  at  Dartmouth 
and  Plymouth. — Abandonment  of  the  Speedwell. — Sketch  of  Miles 
Standish. — Death  at  Sea. — Perils  and  Threatened  Mutiny. — Nar- 
row Escape  of  John  Rowland. — Arrival  at  Cape  Cod. — Testi- 
mony of  Governor  Bradford. — The  Civil  Contract — John  Carver 
Chosen  Governor. — The  First  Exploring  Tour. — The  Sabbath. 

On  the  22d  of  July,  1620,  the  Speedwell,  with  its 
little  band  of  Christian  heroes,  left  the  haven  of  Delft 
for  England. 

Rev.  Mr.  Robinson  and  his  friends  returned  sadly 
to  Leyden.  A  prosperous  wind  rapidly  bore  the  vessel 
across  the  channel  to  the  British  coast,  and  they  en- 
tered the  port  of  Southampton.  Here  they  found  a 
party  of  English  emigrants  who  had  chartered  a  ves- 
sel, the  Mayflower,  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  tons. 
They  were  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Speedwell,  in- 
tending to  unite  with  the  Leyden  band  and  sail  in  its 
company  for  the  organization  of  a  Christian  colony  in 
the  New  World. 

Here,  disappointed  in  some  of  their  financial  plans, 
it  was  found  that  they  needed  four  hundred  dollars  to 
pay  up  sundry  bills,  before  they  could  sail.  To  raise 


THE   VOYAGE.  3! 

this  money  they  were  compelled  to  sell  some  of  their 
provisions,  including  many  firkins  of  butter,  which  lux- 
ury they  thought  they  could  best  spare. 

At  length,  all  things  being  ready,  both  vessels 
weighed  anchor  and  put  to  sea,  from  Southampton,  on 
the  5th  of  August.  In  the  two  vessels  there  were 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  passengers.  They  had 
gone  but  about  one  hundred  miles  when  Captain  Rey- 
nolds, of  the  Speedwell,  announced  that  his  ship  had 
sprung  aleak,  and  that  he  did  not  dare  to  continue  the 
voyage  without  having  her  examined  and  repaired. 
Both  vessels,  therefore,  put  into  Dartmouth,  losing  a 
fair  wind,  and  time  which,  with  the  rapidly  passing 
summer  weather,  was  invaluable  to  them.  They  were 
detained  for  more  than  a  week,  searching  out  the  leaks 
and  mending  them.  One  of  their  number,  Mr.  Cush- 
man,  wrote  from  Dartmouth  a  doleful  letter,  full  of  an- 
ticipations of  evil. 

,  "We  put  in  here,"  he  wrote,  "to  trim  our  vessel; 
and  I  think,  as  do  others,  also,  that  if  we  had  stayed 
at  sea  for  three  or  four  hours  more  she  would  have, 
sunk  right  down.  And,  though  she  was  twice  trim- 
med at  Southampton,  yet  now  she  is  open  and  leaky 
as  a  sieve.  We  lay  at  Southampton  seven  days  in  fair 
weather  waiting-  for  her ;  and  now  we  lie  here  in  as  fair 
a  wind  as  can  blow,  and  so  have  done  these  four  days, 
and  are  like  to  do  four  days  more ;  and  by  that  time 


32  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  wind  will  probably  turn,  as  it  did  at  Southampton. 
Our  victuals  will  be  half  eaten  up,  I  think,  before  we 
go  from  the  coast  of  England.  And  if  our  voyage  last 
long  we  shall  not  have  a  month's  victuals  when  we 
come  into  the  country. 

"  If  I  should  write  to  you  all  things  which  promis- 
cuously forebode  our  ruin,  I  should  overcharge  my 
weak  head  and  grieve  your  tender  heart.  Only  this  I 
pray  you,  prepare  for  evil  tidings  of  us  every  day.  I 
see  not  in  reason  how  we  shall  escape  even  the  gasp- 
ings  of  hunger-starved  persons.  But  God  can  do 
much,  and  His  will  be  done." 

Again  the  two  vessels  set  sail,  probably  about  the 
2 1st  of  August. 

They  had  been  out  but  a  day  or  two,  having  made 
about  three  hundred  miles  from  Land's  End,  keeping 
close  company,  when  the'commander  of  the  Speedwell 
hung  out  a  signal  of  distress.  Both  vessels  hove  to 
and  it  appeared  that  the  Speedwell  had  sprung  a  leak, 
of  so  serious  a  character  that,  though  diligently  ply- 
ing the  pumps,  they  could  scarcely  keep  her  afloat. 

Nothing  was  to  be  done  but  to  put  back  again  to 
Plymouth,  the  nearest  English  port.  Here  the  Speed- 
well was  carefully  examined,  and  pronounced  to  be, 
from  general  weakness,  unseaworthy.  The  disappoint- 
ment was  very  great.  The  vessel  was  abandoned; 
twenty  passengers  were  left  behind,  who  could  not  be 
received  in  the  already  crowded  Mayflower. 


THE  VOYAGE.  33 

"It  was  resolved,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "to 
dismiss  the  Speedwell  and  part  of  the  company,  and 
proceed  with  the  other  ship.  The  which,  though  it 
was  grievous  and  caused  great  discouragement,  was 
put  in  execution.  So,  after  they  had  taken  out  such 
provisions  as  the  other  ship  could  well  stow,  and  con- 
cluded what  number  and  what  persons  to  send  back, 
they  made  another  sad  parting,  the  one  ship  going 
back  to  London,  the  other  proceeding  on  her  voyage. 
Those  who  went  back  were,  for  the  most  part,  those 
who  were  willing  so  to  do,  either  out  of  some  discon- 
tent, or  from  fear  they  conceived  of  the  ill  success  of 
the  voyage,  seeing  so  many  crosses  befal,  and  the  time 
of  the  year  so  far  spent.  But  others,  hi  regard  to 
their  weakness  and  charge  of  many  young  children, 
were  thought  least  useful,  and  most  unfit  to  bear  the 
brunt  of  this  hard  adventure;  unto  which  work  of 
God  and  judgment  of  their  brethren  they  were  con- 
tented to  submit.  And  thus,  like  Gideon's  army,  this 
small  number  was  divided,  as  if  the  Lord,  by  this  work 
of  His  providence,  thought  these  few  too  many  for 
the  great  work  He  had  to  do.  But  here,  by  the  way, 
let  me  show,  how  afterwards  it  was  found  that  the  leaki- 
ness  of  this  ship  was  partly  caused  by  being  overmast- 
ed and  too  much  pressed  with  sails ;  for  after  she  was 
spld  and  put  into  her  old  trim,  she  made  many  voyages 
and  performed  her  service  very  sufficiently,  to  the  great 


34  MILES   STANDISH. 

profit  of  her  owners.  But  more  especially  by  the  cun- 
ning and  deceit  of  the  master  and  his  company,  who 
were  hired  to  remain  a  whole  year  in  America;  and 
now,  fancying  dislike,  and  fearing  want  of  victuals, 
they  plotted  this  stratagem  to  free  themselves,  as  af- 
terwards was  known,  and  by  some  of  them  confessed." 

Mr.  Cushman,  who  wrote  the  doleful  letter,  was 
left  behind  at  his  own  request.  There  was  some  ex- 
cuse for  his  evil  forebodings,  for  he  was  in  a  wretched 
state  of  health.  He  had  written, 

"Besides  the  imminent  dangers  of  this  voyage, 
which  are  no  less  than  deadly,  an  infirmity  of  body 
hath  seized  me  which  will  not,  in  all  likelihood,  leave 
me  until  death.  What  to  call  it  I  know  not.  But  it 
is  a  bundle  of  lead,  as  it  were,  crushing  my  heart  more 
and  more  these  fourteen  days ;  and,  though  I  do  the 
actions  of  a  living  man,  yet  I  am  but  as  dead." 

The  whole  number  of  persons  who  took  their  de- 
parture from  Dartmouth,  in  the  one  solitary  vessel, 
the  Mayflower,  for  the  New  World,  amounted  to  one 
hundred  and  two. 

Among  these  passengers  there  was  a  marked  man, 
to  whom  we  have  already  alluded,  Captain  Miles 
Standish.  He  was  a  native  of  Lancashire,  England, 
a  gentleman  born,  and  the  legitimate  heir  to  a  large 
estate.  He  had  been  for  some  time  an  officer  in  one 
of  the  British  regiments,  which  had  garrisoned  a  town 


THE  VOYAGE.  35 

in  the  Netherlands.  He  was  not  a  church  member, 
and  we  know  not  what  induced  him  to  unite  with  the 
pilgrims  in  their  perilois  enterprise.  Probably  love 
of  adventure,  sympathy  with  them  in  their  cruel  per- 
secution, and  attachment  to  some  of  the  emigrants, 
were  the  motives  which  influenced  him.  It  is  certain 
that  he  was  very  highly  esteemed,  and  very  cordially 
welcomed  by  the  pilgrims.  His  military  skill  might 
prove  of  great  value  to  the  infant  colony. 

It  is  but  little  that  we  know  of  the  early  life  of  this 
remarkable  man.  He  was  born  about  the  year  1584, 
and  was,  consequently,  at  this  time,  about  thirty-six 
years  of  age.  The  family  could  boast  of  a  long  and 
illustrious  line  of  ancestors.  In  the  great  controversy 
between  the  Catholics  and  the  Protestants  there  was 
a  division  in  the  family,  part  adhering  to  the  ancient 
faith,  and  part  accepting  the  Protestant  religion. 
Thus  there  arose,  as  it  were,  two  families ;  the  Cath- 
olics, who  were  of  "  Standish  Hall,"  and  the  Protest- 
ants, who  were  of  "  Duxbury  Hall."  Both  of  these 
family  seats  are  situated  near  the  village  of  Chorley, 
in  the  county  of  Lancashire.  The  income  of  the 
whole  property  was  large,  being  estimated  at  about 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars  a  year. 

It  is  probable  that  Miles  Standish  was  the  legal 
heir  to  all  this  property,  and  that,  by  gross  injustice, 
he  was  defrauded  of  it.  A  few  years  ago  the  heirs  of 


36  MILES   STANDISH. 

Miles  Standish,  in  this  country,  sent  out  an  agent,  Mr. 
Bromley,  to  examine  into  the  title.  He  thoroughly 
searched  the  records  of  the  parish  for  more  than  a 
hundred  years,  embracing  the  period  between  1549 
and  1652.  The  result  of  this  investigation  was  fully 
convincing,  to  the  mind  of  Mr.  Bromley,  that  Miles 
Standish  was  the  rightful  heir  to  the  property,  but  that 
the  legal  evidence  had  been  fraudulently  destroyed. 
In  reference  to  this  investigation,  Mr.  Justin  Winsor, 
in  his  History  of  Duxbury,  writes  : 

"  The  records  were  all  readily  deciphered,  with  the 
exception  of  the  years  15 84  and  1585  ;  the  very  dates 
about  which  time  Standish  is  supposed  to  have  been 
born.  The  parchment  leaf,  which  contained  the  regis- 
ters of  the  births  of  these  years  was  wholly  illegible  ; 
and  their  appearance  was  such  that  the  conclusion  was 
at  once  established  that  it  had  been  purposely  done 
with  pumice  stone,  or  otherwise,  to  destroy  the  legal 
evidence  of  the  parentage  of  Standish,  and  his  conse- 
quent title  to  the  estates  thereabout.  The  mutilation 
of  these  pages  is  supposed  to  have  been  accomplished 
when,  about  twenty  years  before,  similar  enquiries 
were  made  by  the  family  in  America." 

Young  Miles  was  educated  to  the  military  profes- 
sion. England  was  then  in  alliance  with  the  Dutch, 
in  one  of  those  wars  with  which  the  continent  of  Eu- 
rope has  ever  been  desolated.  Miles  was  sent  to  the 


THE  VOYAGE.  37 

Netherlands,  commissioned  as  a  lieutenant  in  Queen 
Elizabeth's  forces.  After  peace  was  declared  he  re- 
mained in  the  country  and  attached  himself  to  the 
English  exiles,  who,  in  Leyden,  had  found  refuge  from 
ecclesiastical  oppression.  He  joined  the  first  com- 
pany of  Pilgrims  for  America,  and  by  his  bravery  and 
sagacity,  contributed  greatly  to  the  success  of  their  he- 
roic enterprise. 

Nothing  of  special  moment  occurred  during  the 
voyage,  which  was  tedious,  occupyi%  sixty-four  days. 
One  event  is  recorded  by  Bradford  as  a  special  provi- 
dence. One  of  the  seamen,  a  young  man  of  vigorous 
health  and  lusty  frame,  was  a  very  vile  fellow.  As  he 
went  swaggering  about  the  decks  he  lost  no  opportu- 
nity to  insult  the  Pilgrims,  ever  treating  their  religious 
faith  with  contempt.  When  he  saw  any  suffering  from 
the  awful  depression  of  sea  sickness,  he  would  openly 
curse  them,  and  express  the  wish  that  he  might  have 
the  pleasure  of  throwing  their  bodies  overboard,  be- 
fore they  should  reach  the  end  of  the  voyage.  The 
slightest  reproof  would  only  cause  him  to  curse  and 
swear  more  bitterly.  Why  the  captain  of  the  May- 
flower allowed  this  conduct,  we  are  not  informed.  But 
there  are  other  indications  that  he  was  not  very  cor- 
dially in  sympathy  with  his  persecuted,  comparatively 
friendless,  but  illustrious  passengers.  When  about 
Vialf  way  across  the  Atlantic,  the  dissolute  young  man 


38  MILES   STANDISH. 

was  seized  with  sudden  and  painful  sickness.  Several 
days  of  severe  suffering  passed,  as  his  ribald  songs 
and  oaths  were  hushed  in  the  languor  of  approaching 
death.  He  died  miserably,  and  his  body,  wrapped  in 
a  tarred  sheet,  was  cast  into  the  sea.  "  Thus,"  writes 
Bradford,  "  did  his  curses  light  upon  his  own  head. 
And  it  was  an  astonishment  to  all  his  fellows,  for  they 
noted  it  to  be  the  just  hand  of  God  upon  him." 

Very  rough  storms  were  encountered,  often  with 
head  winds,  and  lUe  frail  Mayflower  was  sorely  strained 
and  wrenched  by  gale  and  surge.  The  shrouds  were 
broken,  the  sails  were  rent,  and  seams  were  opened, 
through  the  oaken  ribs,  which  threatened  the  engulf- 
ing of  the  ship  in  the  yawning  waves.  Almost  a  mu- 
tiny was  excited,  as  some,  deeming  the  shattered  bark 
incapable  of  performing  the  voyage,  urged  the  aban- 
donment of  the  expedition,  and  a  return.  After  a 
careful  examination,  by  the  captain  and  the  officers,of 
the  injury  the  vessel  had  received,  it  was  decided  that 
the  hull  of  the  ship,  under  water,  was  still  strong  ; 
that,  to  tighten  the  seam  opened  by  the  main  beam, 
they  had  on  board  an  immense  iron  screw,  which  the 
passengers  had  brought  from  Holland,  which  would 
raise  the  beam  to  its  place  ;  and  that,  by  carefully 
calking  the  decks  and  upper  works,  and  by  the  cau- 
tious avoidance  of  spreading  too  much  sail,  they  might 
still,  in  safety,  brave  the  perils  of  a  stormy  sea. 


THE  VOYAGE.  39 

But  we  are  told  that  many  gales  arose  so  fierce, 
and  the  sea  ran  so  high,  that  for  days  together  they 
could  not  spread  an  inch  of  canvass,  but,  in  nautical 
phrase,  were  compelled  to  scud  under  bare  poles.  In 
one  of  these  terrific  storms  a  young  man,  John  How- 
land,  who  ventured  upon  deck,  was,  by  the  sudden 
lurching  of  the  vessel  and  the  breaking  of  a  wave, 
swept  into  the  sea.  He  seemed  to  have  been  carried 
down  fathoms  deep  under  the  raging  billows.  But, 
providentially,  he  caught  hold  of  the  topsail  halyards, 
which  happened  to  hang  overboard.  Though  they  ran 
out  to  full  length,  still,  with  a  death  gripe,  he  kept  his 
hold  until  he  was  drawn  up  to  the  surface  of  the  water, 
when,  with  boat  hooks  and  other  means,  he  was  res- 
cued. 

The  first  land  they  made  was  Cape  Cod.  But  it 
had  been  their  intention  to  seek  a  settlement  some- 
where near  the  mouth  of  Hudson  river.  They  there- 
fore tacked  about  and  stood  for  the  southward.  But 
after  sailing  with  a  fair  wind  for  half  a  day,  they  found 
themselves  becalmed  in  the  midst  of  dangerous  shoals 
and  wild  breakers.  Alarmed  by  the  perils  which  sur- 
rounded them  in  such  unknown  seas,  they  resolved  to 
make  their  way  back  and  seek  the  protection  of  the 
cape.  A  gentle  breeze  rose  in  their  favor,  and  swept 
them  away  from  the  shoals  before  night  came  on. 
The  next  morning  they  anchored  their  storm-shat- 


40  MILES   STANDISH. 

tered  vessel  in  a  safe  harbor  at  the  extremity  of  Cape 
Cod. 

Governor  Bradford  writes  feelingly  :  "  Being  thus 
arrived  in  a  good  harbor,  and  brought  safe  to  land, 
they  fell  upon  their  knees  and  blessed  the  God  of 
Heaven,  who  had  brought  them  over  the  vast  and  furi- 
ous ocean,  and  delivered  them  from  all  the  perils  and 
miseries  thereof,  again  to  set  their  feet  on  the  firm  and 
stable  earth,  their  proper  element." 

He  continues  in  language  which  we  slightly  mod- 
ernize :  "  But  here  I  cannot  but  stay  and  make  a  pause, 
and  stand  half  amazed  at  this  poor  people's  present 
condition.  And  so  I  think  will  the  reader  too,  when 
he  well  considers  the  same.  Being  thus  past  the  vast 
ocean,  and  a  sea  of  troubles  before  in  their  prepara- 
tion, they  had  now  no  friends  to  welcome  them,  nor 
inns  to  entertain  or  refresh  their  weather-beaten  bod- 
ies,— no  houses,  or  much  less,  towns  to  repair  to,  to 
seek  for  succor. 

"  It  is.  recorded  in  Scripture,  as  a  mercy  to  the 
apostle  and  his  shipwrecked  company,  that  the  barba- 
rians showed  them  no  small  kindness  in  refreshing 
them ;  but  these  savage  barbarians,  when  they  met 
with  them,  as  after  will  appear,  were  readier  to  fill 
their  sides  full  of  arrows  than  otherwise.  And  for  the 
season,  it  was  winter  ;  and  they  that  know  the  winters 
of  this  country,  know  them  to  be  sharp  and  violent. 


THE  VOYAGE.  41 

and  subject  to  cruel  and  fierce  storms,  dangerous  to 
travel  to  known  places,  much  more  to  search  an  un- 
known coast.  Besides,  what  could  they  see  but  a  hid- 
eous and  desolate  wilderness,  full  of  wild  beasts  and 
wild  men  ?  And  what  multitudes  there  might  be 
of  them  they  knew  not.  Neither  could  they,  as 
it  were,  go  up  to  the  top  of  Pisgah  to  view,  from 
this  wilderness,  a  more  goodly  country  to  feed  their 
hopes. 

"  For,  which  way  soever  they  turned  their  eyes, 
save  upward  to  the  heavens,  they  could  have  little  sol- 
ace or  content  in  respect  of  any  outward  objects. 
For,  summer  being  done,  all  things  stand  upon  them 
with  a  weather-beaten  face,  and  the  whole  country, 
full  of  woods  and  thickets,  presented  a  wild  and  sav- 
age view.  If  they  looked  behind  tfiem  there  was  the 
mighty  ocean,  which  they  had  passed,  and  which  was 
now  as  a  main  bar  and  gulf  to  separate  them  from  all 
the  civil  parts  of  the  world.  If  it  be  said  they  had  a 
ship  to  succor  them,  it  is  true  ;  but  what  heard  they 
daily  from  the  master  and  company,  but  that  with 
speed  they  should  look  out  a  place  with  their  shallop, 
where  they  would  be  at  some  near  distance  ;  for  the 
season  was  such  that  he  would  not  stir  from  thence 
till  a  safe  harbor  was  discovered  by  them,  where  they 
would  be  left,  and  where  he  might  go  without  danger  ; 
and  that  victuals  Consumed  apace,  but  that  he  must 


42  MILES   STANDISH. 

and  he  would  -keep  sufficient  for  the  crew  and  their 
return.  Yea,  it  was  muttered  by  some,  that  if  the 
Pilgrims  got  not  a  place  soon,  they  would  turn  them 
and  their  goods  ashore  and  leave  them." 

It  was  in  the  morning  of  Saturday,  November 
nth,  that  the  Mayflower,  rounding  the  white  sand 
cliffs  of  what  is  now  Provincetown,  on  the  extremity 
of  Cape  Cod,  entered  the  bay  on  the  western  side  of 
the  Cape,  where  they  cast  anchor.  Just  before  enter- 
ing this  harbor  the  Pilgrims  had  drawn  up  a  brief 
constitution  of  civil  government,  upon  the  basis  of  re- 
publicanism, by  which  they  mutually  bound  them- 
selves to  be  governed.  This  was  the  germ  of  the 
American  Constitution.  John  Carver  they  had  unan- 
imously chosen  as  their  Governor  for  one  year. 

That  afternoon  a  party  of  sixteen  men,  well  armed, 
under  Captain  Miles  Standish,  was  sent  on  shore  to 
explore  the  country  in  their  immediate  vicinity.  They 
returned  *in  the  early  evening  with  rather  a  discourag- 
ing report.  The  land  was  sandy  and  poor,  but  cov- 
ered with  quite  '  a  dense  forest  of  evergreens,  dwarf 
oaks  and  other  deciduous  trees.  They  could  find  no 
fresh  water,  and  met  with  no  signs  of  inhabitants. 
The  peninsula  there  seemed  to  be  a  mere  sand  bank, 
a  tongue  of  barren  land,  about  a  mile  in  breadth. 
The  water  in  the  bay,  however,  abounded  with  fish 
and  sea  fowl.  They  brought  on  board  much-needed 


THE  VOYAGE.  43 

fuel  of  the  red  cedar,  which  emitted,  in  burning,  a 
grateful  fragrance. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday.  These  devout  men, 
who  had  left  their  native  land  to  encounter  all  the 
hardships  and  perils  of  the  wilderness,  that  they  might 
worship  God  freely,  according  to  their  own  sense  of 
duty,  kept  the  day  holy  to  the  Lord.  They  had  brought 
with  them,  as  their  pastor,  as  we  have  mentioned,  the 
Rev.  William  Brewster.  He  was  a  gentleman  by 
birth  and  in  all  his  habits  ;  a  man  of  fervent  piety  and 
of  highly  cultivated  mind,  having  graduated  at  Cam- 
bridge University,  and  having  already  filled  several 
responsible  stations  in  church  and  state.  Mr.  Brew- 
ster preached  from  the  deck  of  the  Mayflower.  In 
their  temple,  whose  majestic  dome  was  the  overarch- 
ing skies,  their  hymns  blended  with  the  moan  of  the 
wintry  wind,  and  the  dash  of  the  surge  on  the  rock- 
bound  shore. 

"Amidst  the  storm  they  sang, 

And  the  stars  heard,  and  the  sea, 
And  the  sounding  aisles  of  the.  dim  woods  rang, 
To  :he  anthems  of  the  free." 


CHAPTER  III. 

Exploring  the  Coast. 

Repairing  the  Shallop. — The  Second  Exploring  Tour. — Interesting 
Discoveries. — Return  to  the  Ship. — A  Week  of  Labor. — The 
Third  Exploring  Tour. — More  Corn  Found. — Perplexity  of  the 
Pilgrims. — The  Fourth  Expedition. — The  First  Encounter. — He- 
roism of  the  Pilgrims. — Night  of  Tempest  and  Peril. — A  Lee 
Shore  Found. — Sabbath  on  the  Island. 

The  next  morning,  refreshed  by  the  repose  of  the 
Sabbath,  the  Pilgrims  rose  early  to  enter  upon  the  ar- 
duous duties  before  them.  The  prospect  of  gloomy 
forests,  barren  sands  and  wild  ocean,  was  any  thing 
but  cheerful.  No  alluring  spot  of  grove  or  meadow 
or  rivulet  invited  them  to  land.  Weary  as  they  were 
of  their  small  and  crowded  bark,  it  was  still  prefera- 
ble to  any  residence  which  the  shore  offered  them. 
Still  these  heroic  men  indulged  in  no  despondency. 
The  martyr  spirit  of  Elder  Brewster  animated  his 
whole  flock.  Just  before  sailing  for  the  New  World, 
he  had  said  to  Sir  Edward  Sandys : 

"  It  is  not  with  us  as  with  other  men,  whom  small 
things  can  discourage,  or  small  discontents  cause  to 
wish  themselves  home  again.  We  believe  and  trust 
that  the  Lord  is  with  us,  unto  whom  and  whose  ser- 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST-  45 

vice  we  have  given  ourselves,  and  that  he  will  gra- 
ciously prosper  our  endeavors  according  to  the  sim- 
plicity of  our  hearts  therein." 

The  captain  of  the  Mayflower  was  unwilling  to 
leave  the  harbor  at  Cape  Cod  and  peril  his  vessel  by 
coasting  about  in  those  unknown  seas  in  search  for  a 
suitable  location  for  the  colony.  The  Pilgrims  had 
taken  the  precaution  to  bring  with  them  a  large  shal- 
lop, whose  framework,  but  partially  put  together,  was 
stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel.  They  now  got 
out  these  pieces,  and  their  carpenter  commenced 
vigorously  the  work  of  preparing  the  boat  for  service. 
It  would  require  some  days  to  put  the  shallop  in  or- 
der for  a  tour  of  exploration  along  the  shore.  There 
were  twenty-eight  females  among  the  emigrants. 
Eighteen  of  these  were  married  women,  accompany- 
ing their  husbands.  These  females,  attended  by  a 
strong  guard  of  armed  men,  were  landed  Monday 
morning  to  wash  the  soiled  clothes  which  had  accu- 
mulated through  the  long  voyage.  The  weather  was 
excessively  cold,  and  the  water  so  shoal  that  the  boat 
could  not  come  within  several  rods  of  the  shore.  The 
men  were  compelled  to  wade  through  the  water,  car- 
rying the  women  in  their  arms ;  thus  with  many  of 
them  was  laid  the  foundation  of  serious  and  fatal 
sickness. 

In  the  meantime,  while  these  labors  were  being 


46  MILES   STANDISH. 

performed,  Captain  Miles  Standish,  on  Wednesday 
morning,  the  I5th  of  November,  set  out  with  a  party 
of  fifteen  men,  well  armed  and  provisioned,  for  a  more 
extended  tour  of  exploration.  It  was  deemed  rather 
a  hazardous  enterprise,  as  they  knew  not  but  that  the 
woods  were  rilled  with  savages,  lying  in  ambush. 
The  Mayflower  was  anchored,  it  is  supposed,  about  a 
furlong  from  the  end  of  what  is  now  called  Long 
Point,  and  at  that  place  the  men  were  probably  set 
on  shore. 

Mourt  writes :  "  The  willingness  of  the  persons 
was  liked,  but  the  thing  itself,  in  regard  to  the  danger, 
was  rather  permitted  than  approved.  And  so,  with 
cautious  directions  and  instructions,  sixteen  men  were 
set  out,  with  every  man  his  musket,  sword  -and  cors- 
let, under  the  conduct  of  Captain  Miles  Standish, 
unto  whom  was  adjoined,  for  counsel  and  advice,  Wil- 
liam Bradford,  Stephen  Hopkins  and  Edward  Tilley." 

The  exploring  party  followed  along  the  coast  foi 
the  distance  of  about  a  mile,  when  they  saw  six  or  seven 
Indians,  with  a  dog,  approaching  theni.  As  soon  as 
the  savages  caught  sight  of  the  party  of  white  men, 
they  seemed  to  be  much  terrified,  and  fled  precipi- 
tately into  the  woods.  The  Pilgrims  hotly  pursued, 
hoping  to  open  with  them  amicable  relations.  The 
Indians,  seeing  themselves  thus  followed,  turned 
again  from  the  woods  to  the  sea  shore,  where,  upon 


EXPLORING  THE  COAST.  47 

the  beach,  their  flight  would  be  unobstructed  by  the 
bushes  and  branches,  which  impeded  their  flight  in 
the  forest.  Their  pursuers  kept  close  after  them, 
guided  by  the  tracks  of  their  feet  in  the  sand. 

Night  now  came  on.  The  Pilgrims  constructed  a 
rude  camp,  with  protecting  ramparts  of  logs,  built  a 
rousing  camp  fire,  for  the  night  was  cold  as  well  as 
dark,  and  having  established  faithful  sentinels,  slept 
quietly  until  morning.  The  place  of  the  bivouac,  they 
supposed  to  be  about  ten  miles  from  the  vessel.  The 
next  morning,  Thursday,  November  i6th,  at  the  ear- 
liest dawn,  the  Pilgrims  resumed  their  tour.  They 
followed  the  track  of  the  Indians  from  the  shore  into 
the  woods.  "  We  marched  through  boughs  and  bushes 
and  under  hills  and  valleys,  which  tore  our  very  ar- 
mor in  pieces,  and  yet  could  meet  with  none  of  them, 
nor  their  houses,  nor  find  any  fresh  water,  which  we 
greatly  desired  and  stood  in  need  of." 

About  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  entered  a 
deep  valley,  where  they  perceived  tracks  of  deer,  and 
found,  to  their  great  joy,  a  spring,  bubbling  cool  and 
fresh  from  its  mossy  bed.  Having  refreshed  them- 
selves with  a  beverage  which  they  pronounced  to  be 
superior  to  any  wine  or  beer  which  they  had  ever 
drank,  they  pressed  on  their  way,  pushing  directly 
south,  and  soon  found  themselves  again  upon  the  sea 
shore  where  they  built  a  large  fire,  that  its  smoke 


48  MILES   STANDISH. 

ascending  through  the  silent  air,  might  inform  those 
on  board  the  ship  of  the  point  which  they  had 
reached. 

Then,  continuing  their  journey,  they  soon  entered 
another  valley,  where  they  found  a  fine  clear  pond  of 
fresh  water.  This  was  undoubtedly  the  little  lake 
which  now  gives  name  to  the  Pond  Village  in  Truro. 
As  they  journeyed  on  they  came  to  a  plain  of  cleared 
land,  consisting  of  about  fifty  acres,  where  the  plough 
could  be  driven  almost  without  obstruction.  There 
were  many  indications  that  this  land  had  formerly 
been  planted  with  corn.  Turning  again  into  the  in- 
terior, they  came  to  several  singular  looking  mounds, 
covered  with  old  mats.  Digging  into  one  of  these, 
they  found  decaying  bows  and  arrows,  and  other  in- 
dications that  they  were  Indian  graves.  Reverently 
they  replaced  the  weapons  and  again  covered  up  the 
grave,  as  they  would  not  have  the  Indians  think  that 
they  would  violate  their  sepulchres. 

Further  on  they  found  an  immense  store  of  straw- 
berries, large  and  very  delicious.  This  seems  very 
remarkable  at  that  season  of  the  year.  Roger  Wil- 
liams writes  :  "  This  berry  is  the  wonder  of  all  fruits, 
growing  naturally  in  those  parts.  In  some  places, 
where  the  natives  have  planted,  I  have  many  times 
seen  as  many  as  would  fill  .a  good  ship  within  a  few 
miles  compass."  They  found,  also,  abundance  of  wal- 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  49 

nuts  and  grape  vines,  with  some  very  good  grapes. 
Coming  upon  a  deserted  dwelling,  they  found,  to  their 
astonishment,  a  large  iron  kettle,  which  must  have 
been  taken  from  some  ship,  wrecked  upon  the  coast. 
Upon  examining  the  remains  of  the  hut  more  care- 
fully, they  became  satisfied  that  it  must  have  been 
erected  by  some  sailors  from  Europe,  who  probably 
had  been  cast  away  upon  the  coast. 

Here  they  came  upon  another  mound,  newly  made, 
so  different  from  the  others  that  they  were  induced  to 
examine  it.  "  In  it  we  found  a  little  old  basket,  full 
of  fair  Indian  corn,  and  digged  further  and  found  a 
fine,  great  new  basket,  full  of  very  fair  corn  of  this 
year,  with  some  six  and  thirty  goodly  ears  of  corn, 
some  yellow  and  some  red,  and  others  mixed  with 
blue,  which  was  a  very  goodly  sight.  The  basket  was 
round  and  narrow  at  the  top.  It  held  about  three  or 
four  bushels,  which  was  as  much  as  two  of  us  could 
lift  from  the  ground,  and  was  very  handsomely  and 
cunningly  made."  * 

The  Pilgrims  had  never  seen  corn  before.  Though 
they  knew  from  its  appearance  that  it  must  constitute 
an  important  article  of  food,  they  could  have  had  no 
conception  of  the  infinite  value  those  golden  kernels 
would  contribute  to  the  millions  of  inhabitants  des- 
tined to  throng  this  broad  continent.  These  holes  in 

*  Mourt's  Narrative. 


50  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  earth  were  the  Indian  barns.  They  were  con- 
structed so  as  to  hold  about  a  hogshead  each.  The 
corn  having  been  husked  and  thoroughly  dried  in  the 
sun,  was  placed  in  baskets  surrounded  with  mats, 
which  were  woven  or  braided  with  flags.  As  the  pro- 
visions of  the  Pilgrims  were  nearly  expended,  from 
their  unexpectedly  long  voyage,  the  sight  of  the  golden 
ears  of  corn  was  more  grateful  to  them  than  so  many 
doubloons  would  have  been. 

"  We  were  in  suspense,"  writes  one  of  these  ex- 
plorers, "what  to  do  with  it  and  the  kettle.  At 
length,  after  much  consultation,  we  concluded  to  take 
the  kettle  and  as  much  of  the  corn  as  we  could  carry 
away  with  us.  And  when  our  shallop  came,  if  we 
could  find  any  of  the  people,  and  come  to  parley  with 
them,  we  would  give  them  the  kettle  again,  and  satis- 
fy them  for  their  corn." 

About  eight  months  after  this,  as  we  shall  have 
occasion  hereafter  to  mention,  they  met  the  Indians 
and  paid  them  to  their  "  full  content."  The  loose  corn 
they  put  in  the  kettle,  for  two  of  the  men  to  carry  away 
on  a  staff.  They  also  filled  their  pockets  with  the 
corn.  The  remainder  they  carefully  buried  again,  "  for 
we  were  so  laden  with  armor  that  we  could  carry  no 
more."  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  Pilgrims  were 
cased  in  armor.  One  of  the  grandsons  of  Miles 
Standish  is  said  to  have  in  his  possession  the  coat  of 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  51 

mail  which  his  illustrious  ancestor  wore  upon  this  oc- 
casion. The  Pilgrim  Society  of  Plymouth  claims  also 
to  have  the  identical  sword  blade  used  by  Miles  Stan- 
dish. 

Not  far  from  this  place  they  found  the  remains  of 
an  old  fort,  which  had  doubtless  been  built  by  the 
same  persons  who  erected  the  hut  and  owned  the  ket- 
tle. This  was  near  a  spot  which  they  at  first  sup- 
posed to  be  a  river,  but  which  proved  to  be  an  arm  of 
the  sea,  and  which  was  doubtless  the  entrance  of 
what  is  now  called  Parmet  River.  They  found  here 
a  high  cliff  of  sand,  since  called  Old  Tom's  Hill,  after 
an  Indian  chief  who  had  his  wigwam  upon  its  summit. 
They  were,  at  this  spot,  about  nine  miles  from  Cape 
Cod  harbor.  Two  birch  bark  canoes  had  been  left 
here  by  the  Indians,  one  on  each  bank  of  the  creek. 
As  the  adventurers  had  received  directions  not  to  be 
absent  more  than  two  days,  they  had  no  time  for  ex- 
tensive explorations.  Returning  to  the  fresh  water 
pond,  they  established  their  rendezvous  for  the  night 
Building  an  immense  fire,  with  the  barricade  to  the 
windward,  and  establishing  three  sentinels,  each  man 
to  take  his  turn  as  it  came,  they  sought  such  sleep  as 
could  be  found  in  a  drenching  rain,  for  the  night 
proved  dark  and  stormy. 

In  the  morning  they  set  out  on  their  return  home, 
and  lost  their  way.  As  they  wandered  along  they 


52  MILES   STANDISH. 

entered  a  well-trodden  deer  path  in  the  entangled 
forest.  Here  they  came  upon  a  singular  contrivance, 
apparently  some  sort  of  a  trap,  which  they  were  care- 
fully examining,  when  Mr.  Bradford,  subsequently 
Governor,  found  himself  suddenly  caught  by  the  leg 
and  snapped  up  into  the  air.  As  he  experienced  no 
serious  injury,  the  incident  afforded  only  occasion  for 
merriment.  It  was  a  deer  trap,  ingeniously  construct- 
ed by  bending  a  strong  sapling  to  the  earth,  with  a 
rope  and  noose  concealed  under  leaves  covered  with 
acorns. 

"  It  was  a  very  pretty  device,"  writes  Mourt, 
"  made  with  a  rope  of  their  own  making,  having  a 
noose  as  artificially  made  as  any  roper  in  England  can 
make."  These  traps  were  so  strong  that  a  horse  would 
be  tossed  up  if  he  were  caught  in  one  of  them.  "  An 
English  mare,"  writes  Wood,  "having  strayed  from 
her  owner,  and  grown  wild  by  her  long  sojourning  in 
the  woods,  ranging  up  and  down  with  the  wild  crew, 
stumbled  into  one  of  these  traps,  which  stopped  her 
speed,  hanging  her,  like  Mahomet's  coffin,  betwixt 
earth  and  heaven." 

Toiling  along  through  the  wilderness,  they  saw 
three  bucks  and  a  flock  of  partridges,  but  could  not 
get  a  shot  at  them.  "  As  we  came  along  by  the  creek 
we  saw  great  flocks  of  wild  geese  and  ducks,  but  they 
were  very  fearful  of  us,  so  we  marched  some  while  in 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  53 

the  woods,  some  while  on  the  sands,  and  other  while 
in  the  water  up  to  the  knees,  till  at  length  we  came 
near  the  ship,  when  we  shot  off  our  pieces,  and  the 
long  boat  came  to  fetch  us."  *  Those  familiar  with 
the  locality  can  trace  their  route  as  they  passed  round 
the  head  of  East  Harbor  Creek,  and  went  down  on 
the  north  side  of  it.  They  then  waded  through 
Stout's  Creek,  near  Gull  Hill,  and  passed  on  to  the  end 
of  Long  Point,  near  which  the  ship  was  anchored. 

It  was  Friday  afternoon,  November  i/th,  when 
the  expedition  returned,  with  rent  clothes  and  blis- 
tered feet,  and  with  a  discouraging  report ;  for  they 
had  found  no  place  suitable  for  the  location  of  their 
colony. 

Another  Sunday  came,  and  this  little  band  of  ex- 
iles was  again  assembled,  on  the  deck  of  the  May- 
flower, to  attend  to  their  accustomed  worship.  The 
whole  of  the  ensuing  week  was  employed  in  refitting 
the  shallop,  which  required  the  labor  of  seventeen 
days,  and  in  making  preparation  for  another  and  more 
extensive  tour  along  the  coast. 

On  Monday  of  the  next  week,  the  2/th  of  Novem- 
ber, twenty-four  of  the  colonists  and  ten  of  the  sea- 
men, in  the  shallop,  all  under  command  of  Captain 
Jones,  of  the  Mayflower,  again  set  out  in  search  of  a 
spot  where  they  might  commence  their  lonely  settle- 

*  Mourt's  Narrative. 


54  MILES   STANDISH* 

ment  in  the  wilderness.  It  was  a  dreary  winter's  day, 
with  clouds,  a  rough  sea,  freezing  winds  and  flurries 
of  rain  and  sleet.  The  sand  hills,  whitened  with  snow, 
swept  by  the  wind  and  covered  with  a  stunted  growth 
of  oaks  and  pines,  presented  nothing  alluring  to  the 
eye.  As  the  day  wore  away  and  the  storm  increased 
in  violence,  they  ran  in  towards  the  shore  for  security. 
Here  the  shallop  cast  anchor,  under  the  lee  of  the  sand 
hills,  in  comparatively  smooth  water.  The  crew  passed 
the  night  in  the  boat,  which  probably  afforded  shelter 
for  a  few  persons.  A  party  landed,  and  following 
along  the  beach  about  six  miles,  encamped,  with  a 
glowing  fire  at  their  feet. 

The  next  morning,  the  storm  still  continuing,  the 
shallop  reached  them  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  taking 
them  on  board,  continued  their  voyage  until  they  ar- 
rived at  Pamet  Creek,  which  the  previous  expedition 
had  visited.  Here  they  found  a  sheltered  cove,  which 
they  called  Cold  Harbor.  It  afforded  a  safe  refuge 
for  boats,  but  was  not  a  suitable  harbor  for  ships,  as 
it  had  a  depth  of  but  twelve  feet  of  water  at  flood  tide. 
The  creek  here  separates  into  two  streams,  running 
back  about  three  and  a  half  miles  into  the  country, 
and  separated  by  the  high  cliff  of  which  we  have  spo- 
ken, called  Tom's  Hill. 

A  party  landed  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff  and  marched 
into  the  interior,  between  the  streams,  four  or  five 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  55 

miles.  The  country  was  broken  with  steep  hills  and 
deep  valleys,  and  there  was  six  inches  of  snow  upon 
the  ground.  As  night  darkened  over  them  they  en- 
tered a  small  grove  of  pine  trees,  where  they  built 
their  camp  and  kindled  their  fire,  and  established  their 
sentinels  for  the  night.  They  supped  luxuriously 
upon  three  fat  geese  and  six  ducks,  which  they  had 
shot  by  the  way. 

It  was  their  intention  in  the  morning  to  follow  up 
this  creek  to  its  head,  supposing  that  they  should 
there  find  emptying  into  it  a  river  of  fresh  water.  But 
in  talking  the  matter  over,  it  seemed  to  the  majority 
that  the  region  was  very  undesirable.  It  was  rough, 
hilly,  with  poor  soil,  and  a  harbor  fit  only  for  boats. 
In  the  morning,  consequently,  the  shallop  returned  to 
its  anchorage  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  while  the 
party  on  land  crossed  over  to  the  other  stream  to  get 
the  rest  of  the  corn  which  they  had  left  behind. 
Here  they  found  one  of  the  canoes,  of  which  we  have 
previously  spoken,  which  was  sufficiently  capacious  to 
carry  seven  or  eight  over  at  a  time.  Here  they  found 
several  other  depositories  of  corn,  so  that  they  ob- 
tained seven  or  eight  bushels. 

"  And  sure  it  was  God's  good  providence,"  writes 
Mourt,  "  that  we  found  this  corn,  for  else  we  know  not 
how  we  should  have  done  ;  for  we  knew  not  how  we 
should  find  or  meet  with  any  of  the  Indians,  except  it 


56  MILES   STANDISH. 

be  to  do  us  a  mischief.  Also  we  had  never,  in  all 
likelihood,  seen  a  grain  of  it  if  we  had  not  made  our 
first  journey ;  for  the  ground  was  now  covered  with 
snow,  and  so  hard  frozen  that  we  were  fain,  with  our 
cutlasses  and  short  swords,  to  hew  and  carve  the 
ground  a  foot  deep,  and  then  wrest  it  up  with  levers, 
for  we  had  forgot  to  bring  other  tools." 

Captain  Jones,  satisfied  that  there  was  no  place 
here  for  the  location  of  the  colony,  was  quite  discour- 
aged and  wished  to  return  to  the  ship.  Several  oth- 
ers were  quite  sick  from  exposure  and  fatigue.  They 
therefore  returned  to  the  shallop,  while  eighteen  re- 
mained to  continue  their  exploration  until  the  next 
day,  when  the  shallop  was  to  come  to  take  them. 
Several  Indian  trails  were  discovered,  leading  in  va- 
rious directions  into  the  woods.  One  of  these  they 
followed  five  or  six  miles  without  finding  any  signs  of 
inhabitants.  Returning  by  another  route,  they  came 
to  a  plain  which  had  been  cultivated,  where  they 
found  several  Indian  graves,  and  among  them  mani- 
festly the  grave  of  a  white  man.  In  it  they  found  fine 
yellow  hair,  some  embalming  powder,  a  knife,  a  pack- 
needle,  and  two  or  three  iron  instruments,  bound  up 
in  a  sailor's  canvas  coat.  It  was  supposed  that  the 
Indians  had  thus  buried  the  man  to  honor  him. 

While  thus  ranging  about,  some  of  them  came 
upon  two  deserted  Indian  huts.  They  were  made 


EXPLORING  THE  COAST.  57 

round,  like  an  arbor,  of  long  saplings,  each  end  being 
stuck  into  the  ground.  The  door  was  about  three 
feet  high,  protected  by  a  mat.  The  chimney  was  a 
hole  in  the  top.  In  the  centre  of  them,  one  could 
easily  stand  upright.  The  fire  was  built  in  the  centre, 
around  which  the  inmates  slept  on  mats.  The  sides 
and  roof  were  warmly  sheathed,  as  a  protection  from 
wind  and  rain,  with  thick  mats.  A  few  very  mean 
articles  of  household  furniture  were  found  within, 
such  as  bowls,  trays  and  earthen  pots.  There  were 
also  quite  a  variety  of  baskets,  some  of  them  quite 
curiously  wrought.  Some  of  these  baskets  were  filled 
with  parched  acorns,  which  it  subsequently  appeared 
they  often  used  instead  of  corn. 

During  the  day  the  shallop  arrived.  The  latter 
part  of  the  afternoon  they  hastened  on  board,  with 
their  treasures,  and,  it  is  supposed,  reached  the  May- 
flower that  evening.  In  Mourt's  narrative  it  is  re- 
corded :  "  We  intended  to  have  brought  some  beads 
and  other  things,  to  have  left  in  the  houses  in  sign  of 
peace,  and  that  we  meant  to  truck  with  them.  But 
it  was  not  done,  by  means  of  our  hasty  coming  away 
from  Cape  Cod." 

The  question  was  then  very  earnestly  and  anx- 
iously discussed,  whether  they  should  decide  upon 
Cold  Harbor  for  their  settlement,  or  send  out  another 
expedition  on  an  exploring  tour.  Those  who  were  in 
3* 


58  MILES   STANDISH. 

favor  of  Cold  Harbor  for  their  settlement,  wished  to 
locate  their  dwellings  upon  the  bluff,  at  the  entrance 
of  Pamet  River,  now  called  Old  Tom's  Hill.  The  ar- 
guments they  urged  were,  that  there  was  there  a  con- 
venient harbor  for  boats  ;  convenient  corn  land  ready 
to  their  hands  ;  that  Cape  Cod  would  be  a  good  place 
for  fishing,  as  they  daily  saw  great  whales  swimming 
about ;  that  the  place  was  healthy  and  defensible, 
and  most  important  of  all,  that  the  heart  of  winter 
had  come,  and  that  they  could  not  embark  on  more 
exploring  tours  without  danger  of  losing  both  boat 
and  men.  The  question,  however,  was  settled  in  the 
negative,  in  view  of  the  shallowness  of  the  harbor, 
the  barrenness  of  the  land,  and  the  inadequate  sup- 
ply of  fresh  water. 

But  very  little  was  then  known  of  Massachusetts 
Bay.  But  the  second  mate  of  the  ship,  Robert  Cop- 
pin,  had  been  in  that  region  before.  He  said  that 
upon  the  other  side  of  the  Bay,  at  a  distance  of  about 
twenty-five  miles,  in  a  direct  line  west  from  Cape  Cod, 
was  a  large  navigable  river  with  a  good  harbor.  It 
was  decided  immediately  to  fit  out  another  expedition 
to  explore  the  whole  coast  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  as 
far  as  the  mouth  of  that  fabulous  river,  but  not  to  go 
beyond  that  point.  A  party  of  ten  picked  men, 
among  whom  were  Governor  Carver  and  William 
Bradford,  set  out  in  the  shallop  in  the  afternoon  of  the 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  59 

6th  of  December,  upon  this  all-important  expedition, 
in  which  it  seemed  absolutely  necessary  that  they 
should  select  some  spot  on  which  to  establish  their 
colony.  They  were  well  armed  and  provisioned,  and 
it  was  certain  that  they  would  leave  nothing  untried 
which  human  energy  could  accomplish.  It  was  a  per- 
ilous enterprise  in  the  dead  of  winter,  in  a  compara- 
tively open  boat  upon  a  storm-swept  sea. 

A  cold  wind  ploughed  the  bay,  raising  such  waves 
that  many  of  the  voyagers  were  deathly  sick.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon  before  they  succeeded  in  clearing 
the  harbor.  The  severity  of  the  winter  weather  was 
such  that  the  spray,  dashing  over  them,  was  immedi- 
ately frozen,  covering  them  "with  coats  of  ice.  They 
ran  down  the  coast  in  a  southerly  direction,  about 
twenty  miles,  when,  doubling  a  point  of  land,  they 
entered  a  small  shallow  cove,  where  they  discovered 
twelve  Indians  on  the  beach,  cutting  up  a  grampus. 
As  they  turned  their  bow  towards  the  land  the  In- 
dians fled,  and  soon  disappeared  in  the  stunted  growth 

v 

behind  the  sand  hills.  The  water  in  the  little  bay 
was  so  shallow  that  they  found  it  difficult  to  approach 
the  shore.  At  last  they  effected  a  landing  about  three 
miles  from  the  point  where  they  had  seen  the  Indians, 
but  even  then  they  had  to  wade  several  yards  through 
the  water  up  to  their  knees.  As  the  weather  was  in- 
tensely cold,  this  caused  much  suffering. 


60  MILES   STANDISH. 

It  was  quite  dark  before  they  reached  the  land. 
With  considerable  difficulty  they  constructed  a  barri- 
cade of  logs,  to  shelter  them  from  the  wind,  and  also 
to  protect  them  from  the  arrows  of  the  natives,  should 
they  be  attacked.  Sentinels  were  stationed  to  keep 
a  vigilant  guard,  a  roaring  fire  was  built,  and  our 
weary  exiles,  wrapped  in  their  cloaks  and  with  their 
feet  to  the  fire,  soon  forgot,  for  a  few  hours,  all  their 
troubles  in  the  oblivion  of  sleep.  During  the  night 
the  sentinels  could  see,  at  the  distance  of  but  a  few 
miles,  the  gleam  of  the  camp  fire  of  the  Indians. 

In  the  morning  the  company  divided,  a  part  to  fol- 
low along  the  shore  through  the  woods  to  see  if  they 
could  find  any  suitable  place  for  their  settlement, 
while  the  rest  sailed  along  slowly  in  the  boat,  noticing 
the  depth  of  water  and  watching  for  harbors.  Thus 
the  day  passed  without  any  successful  results.  Those 
on  the  shore  followed  an  Indian  trail  for  some  dis- 
tance into  the  woods.  They  came  to  a  large  burying 
place,  surrounded  with  a  palisade  and  quite  thickly 
filled  with  graves.  As  the  sun  of  the  short  winter's 
day  was  sinking,"  and  the  shades  of  another  night  were 
coming  on,  the  boat  put  into  a  small  creek,  where  its 
inmates  were  soon  joined  by  the  party  from  the 
woods.  They  met  joyfully,  for  they  had  not  seen  one 
another  since  the  morning,  and  some  anxiety  was  felt 
for  the  safety  of  those  upon  the  shore. 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  6 1 

G"  /ernor  Bradford,  who  was  of  the  party,  says  that 
they  i  lade  a  barricade,  as  they  were  accustomed  to 
do  ev<  ry  night,  of  logs,  stakes  and  thick  pine  boughs, 
the  height  of  a  man,  leaving  it  open  to  the  leeward, 
partly  to  shelter  it  from  the  cold  and  winds,  making 
their  fire  in  the  middle  and  lying  round  about  it,  and 
partly  to  defend  them  from  any  assaults  of  the  sava- 
ges, if  they  should  attack  them.  So,  being  very  weary, 
they  betook  themselves  to  rest. 

"  But  about  midnight  they  heard  a  hideous  and 
great  cry,  and  their  sentinel  called  '  arm  !  arm  ! '  So 
they  bestirred  themselves  and  stood  to  their  arms  and 
shot  off  a  couple  of  muskets,  and  then  the  noise 
ceased.  They  concluded  that  it  was  a  company  of 
wolves,  or  such  like  wild  beasts  ;  for  one  of  the  seamen 
told  them  that  he  had  often  heard  such  a  noise  in  New- 
foundland. So  they  rested  till  about  five  of  the  clock 
in  the  morning,  for  the  tide  and  their  purpose  to  go 
from  thence  made  them  bestirring  betimes. 

"  After  prayer  they  prepared  for  breakfast,  and  it 
being  day-dawning,  it  was  thought  best  to  be  carrying 
things  down  to  the  boat.  But  some  said  that  it  was 
not  best  to  carry  the  arms  down ;  others  said  they 
would  be  the  readier,  for  they  had  wrapped  them  up 
in  their  coats,  from  the  dew.  But  some  three  or  four 
would  not  carry  theirs  until  they  went  themselves; 
yet,  as  it  fell  out,  those  who  took  their  arms  to  the 


62  MILES   STANDISH. 

boat,  the  water  not  being  high  enough  for  the  boat  to 
come  to  the  shore,  they  laid  them  down  upon  the  bank 
and  came  back  to  breakfast. 

"  But  presently,  all  on  the  sudden,  they  heard  a 
great  and  strange  cry,  which  they  knew  to  be  the 
same  voices  which  they  heard  in  the  night,  though 
they  varied  their  notes  ;  and  one  of  their  company 
being  abroad,  came  running  in  and  cried,  '  Indians  ! 
Indians  ! '  Immediately  a  shower  of  arrows  fell  upon 
the  encampment.  Then  men  ran  with  all  speed  to 
recover  their  arms,  as  by  the  good  providence  of  God 
they  succeeded  in  doing. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  Captain  Miles  Standish,  hav- 
ing a  snaphance  *  ready,  made  a  shot,  and,  after  him, 
another.  After  they  two  had  shot,  other  two  were 
ready ;  but  Captain  Standish  wished  us  not  to  shoot 
till  we  could  take  aim,  for  he  knew  not  what  need  we 
should  have.  Then  there  were  four  only  of  us  which 
had  their  arms  there  ready,  and  stood  before  the  open 
side  of  our  barricade  which  was  first  assaulted.  They 
thought  it  best  to  defend  it  lest  the  enemy  should 
take  it  and  our  stuff,  and  so  have  the  more  vantage 
against  us." 

From  the  hideous  yells  of  the  Indians  it  seemed 
as  though  the  woods  were  full  of  them.  There  might 

*  A  musket  with  a  flint  lock. 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  63 

be  ten  or  twenty  Indians  to  one  white  man.  It  was 
greatly  to  be  feared  that  they  might,  by  a  sudden  rush, 
seize  the  shallop,  and  thus  cut  off  all  possibility  of 
retreat.  Captain  Standish,  therefore,  immediately 
divided  his  little  army  of  ten  men,  leaving  five  to  de- 
fend the  barricade  and  five  to  protect  the  boat.  In 
the  midst  of  the  terrific  turmoil  and  storm  of  Indian 
missiles,  the  two  divisions,  separated  but  by  a  dis- 
tance of  a  few  yards,  cheered  each  other  by  encour- 
aging words.  Most  of  the  guns  were  matchlocks. 
Those  by  the  shallop  called  for  a  firebrand  to  light 
their  matches.  One  seized  from  the  fire  a  burning 
log  and  carried  it  to  them.  The  Indians  seemed  to 
understand  the  act,  for  they  redoubled  the  fury  of 
their  yells. 

The  thick  winter  garments  of  the  Pilgrims  and 
their  coats  of  mail  effectually  protected  a  large  portion 
of  their  bodies  from  the  arrows  of  the  natives.  The 
arrows  as,  unlike  bullets  they  could  be  seen  in  their 
flight,  could  also  be  dodged.  There  was  one  Indian, 
of  gigantic  stature,  apparently  more  brave  than  the 
rest,  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  band.  He 
was  in  advance  of  all  the  other  Indians,  and,  standing 
behind  a  large  tree,  within  half  musket  shot  of  the 
encampment,  let  fly  his  arrows  with  wonderful  strength 
and  accuracy  of  aim,  while  his  voice,  rising  above  the 
:lin  of  the  conflict,  animated  them  to  courage  and  ex- 


64  MILES   STANDISIL 

ertion.  Three  arrows  which  he  shot  were  avoided 
by  stooping.  Three  musket  shots,  which  were  aimed 
at  him,  struck  the  tree,  causing  the  bark  and  splinters 
to  fly  about  his  ears,  but  he  was  unharmed.  Captain 
Standish  devoted  his  special  attention  to  this  chief. 
Watching  his  opportunity,  when  the  arm  of  the  sav- 
age was  exposed,  in  the  attempt  to  throw .  another 
shaft,  he  succeeded  in  striking  it  with  a  bullet.  The 
shattered  arm  dropped  helpless.  *  The  savage  gazed 
for  a  moment  in  apparent  bewilderment  and  dismay, 
upon  the  mangled  and  bleeding  limb,  and  then,  as  if 
conscious  that  he  had  fought  his  last  battle,  uttered  a 
peculiar  and  distressing  cry,  which  was  probably  the 
signal  for  retreat,  and  dodging  from  tree  to  tree,  dis- 
appeared. 

His  warriors  followed  his  example,  and  were  speed- 
ily lost  in  the  solitude  and  silence  of  the  forest. 
Their  flight  was  so  instantaneous  into  the  glooms 
which  surrounded  them,  that  scarcely  one  moment 
elapsed  ere  not  an  Indian  was  to  be  seen,  and  the  de- 
moniac clamor  of  war  gave  place  to  the  sacred  quie- 
tude of  the  untenanted  wilderness.  Captain  Standish 
led  his  heroic  little  band,  driving  before  them  they 
knew  not  how  many  hundreds  of  Indians,  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  mile.  Then  they  shot  off  two  muskets 

*  Johnson's  Wonder  Working  Providence. 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  65 

and  gave  three  loud  cheers,  "  that  they  might  see," 
Governor  Bradford  writes,  "  that  we  were  not  afraid 
of  them,  nor  discouraged.  Then  the  English,  who 
more  thirsted  for  their  conversion  than  their  destruc- 
tion, returned  to  their  boat  without  receiving  any 
damage." 

The  first  act  of  these  devout  men,  upon  returning 
to  their  encampment,  was  to  give  thanks  to  God  for 
their  great  deliverance.  There  was  a  sublimity  in  this 
Te  Deum,  from  the  lips  of  these  exiles,  as  in  the  twi- 
light of  the  wintry  morning,  exposed  to  wind  and  rain, 
they  bowed  reverently  around  their  camp  fire,  which 
never  could  have  been  surpassed  by  peals  from  choir 
and  organ,  resounding  through  the  groined  arches  of 
the  cathedrals  of  Saint  Peter,  Notre  Dame  or  Saint 
Paul. 

The  escape  of  the  Pilgrims,  unharmed,  from  this 
shower  of  missiles,  was  indeed  wonderful.  The  arrows 
of  the  Indians  were  thrown  with  great  force,  and  be- 
ing pointed  with  flint  and  bone,  would,  when  hitting 
fairly,  pierce  the  thickest  clothing.  Some  of  them 
were  barbed  with  brass,  probably  obtained  from  some 
fisherman's  vessel.  When  striking  any  unprotected 
portion  of  the  body,  they  would  inflict  a  very  danger- 
ous and  painful  wound.  But  no  one  was  hurt.  Some 
overcoats  which  were  hung  up  in  the  barricade  were 
pierced  through  and  through.  Arrows  were  sticking 


66  MILES   STANDISH. 

in  the  logs,  and  many  were  found  beneath  the  leaves. 
They  collected  quite  a  number  of  them,  and  sent 
them  back  to  England  as  curiosities. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  scene  of  this  conflict,  was 
at  what  is  now  called  Great  Meadow  Creek,  in  East- 
ham,  about  a  mile  northeast  from  Rock  Harbor.  The 
Pilgrims  named  the  place  The  First  Encounter. 

It  was  indeed  a  gloomy  morning  of  clouds  and 
rain  and  chill  wind  which  now  opened  before  these 
stout-hearted  wanderers.  The  surf  dashed  sullenly 
upon  the  shore.  The  gale,  sweeping  the  ocean,  and 
moaning  through  the  sombre  firs  and  pines,  drove  the 
sheeted  mist,  like  spectral  apparitions  of  ill  omen, 
over  the  land  and  the  sea.  As  the  Pilgrims  re-em- 
barked the  rain  changed  to  sleet.  A  day  of  suffer- 
ing and  of  great  peril  was  manifestly  before  them. 
The  gale  rapidly  increased  in  violence.  The  billows 
dashed  so  furiously  upon  the  beach  there  was  no  pos- 
sibility of  again  landing  unless  they  should  find  some 
sheltered  cove.  The  waves  frequently  broke  into  the 
boat.  Their  garments  were  drenched,  and  clothing 
and  ropes  were  soon  coated  with  ice.  Anxiously, 
hour  after  hour,  as  they  were  buffeted  by  the  storm, 
they  searched  the  dim  shore  hoping  to  find  some  bay 
or  river  in  which  they  could  take  refuge. 

The  short  winter's  day  was  soon  drawing  to  a  close. 
Night  was  at  hand, — night  long,  dark  and  stormy,  in 


EXPLORING  THE   COAST.  6/ 

an  unknown  sea.  They  were  numbed  and  nearly 
frozen  with  the  cold.  To  many  of  them  it  seemed 
not  improbable  that  before  the  morning  they  would 
all  find  a  grave  in  the  ocean.  As  twilight  was  dark- 
ening into  night,  a  huge  billow,  chasing  them  with 
gigantic  speed,  broke  into  the  boat,  nearly  filling  it 
with  water,  at  the  same  time  unshipping  and  sweep- 
ing away  their  rudder.  They  immediately  got  out 
two  oars,  and  with  exceeding  difficulty  succeeded  in 
steering  their  tempest-tossed  bark.  T^>  add  to  their 
calamities,  and  apparently  to  take  from  them  their 
last  gleam  of  hope,  just  then  a  sudden  flaw  of  wind 
snapped  their  mast  into  three  pieces,  dashing  their 
sail  into  the  foaming  sea,  and  they  were  left  at  the 
mercy  of  the  billows. 

Their  pilot,  who  had  been  upon  the  coast  before, 
and  who  had  thus  far  cheered  them  with  the  as- 
surance that  there  was  a  harbor  at  hand,  now  lost  all 
presence  of  mind,  and  throwing  up  his  arms,  ex- 
claimed, "The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us.  I  was 
never  in  this  place  before.  All  that  we  can  do  is  to 
run  the  boat  ashore  through  the  breakers."  It  was 
insane  counsel  which,  being  followed,  involved  almost 
certain  death. 

Some  one  of  their  number,  was  it  their  gallant 
leader  Miles  Standish,  remonstrated,  shouting  out  in 
the  darkness,  "If  ye  be  men,  seize  your  oars  or  we 


68  MILES   STANDISH. 

are  all  cast  away."  They  did  so,  and,  with  lusty  arms, 
on  a  flood  tide,  still  guided  their  boat  along  the  shore, 
which  was  dimly  seen  as  the  breakers  dashed  high 
over  sand  and  rock.  At  last  they  discerned  land  di- 
rectly before  them.  Whether  it  were  an  island  or  a 
promontory  they  knew  not.  By  great  exertions  they 
succeeded — though  it  was  very  dark  and  the  rain  fell 
in  torrents — in  gaining  the  lee  of  the  land.  Here 
they  cast  anchor  in  comparatively  still  water.  But 
they  were  afraid  to  leave  the  boat.  The  experience 
of  the  past  night  had  taught  them  that  the  woods 
might  be  full  of  savages. 

Their  sufferings  however  from  the  cold,  the  wind 
and  the  rain,  became  unendurable.  A  few  of  their 
number,  feeling  that  they  should  certainly  perish  in 
the  open  boat,  ventured  ashore,  where  after  much 
difficulty  they  succeeded  in  building  a  fire.  Though 
its  blaze  illumining  the  forest,  might  be  a  beacon  to 
point  them  out  to  their  savage  foes,  they  piled  upon  it 
branches  and  logs  and,  forgetting  their  danger,  re- 
joiced in  the  cheerful  flame  and  the  warmth.  Those 
in  the  boat  could  not  long  resist  the  aspect  of  com- 
fort which  the  fire  presented.  They  soon  also  landed, 
and  with  their  axes,  speedily  constructed  a  camp  to 
shelter  them  from  the  rain,  and  a  rampart  of  logs,  be- 
hind which,  with  their  guns,  they  could  protect  them- 
selves from  a  large  number  of  natives  armed  only 
with  bows  and  javelins. 


EXPLORING  THE  COAST.  69 

Thus  ere  long  they  found  themselves  in  what 
might  be  deemed,  under  the  circumstances,  comfort- 
able quarters.  During  the  night  the  clouds  were  dis- 
per.sed.  The  morning  dawned,  serene  and  bright, 
but  cold.  It  was  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath.  And 
these  remarkable  men,  notwithstanding  the  impor- 
tance of  improving  every  moment  of  time,  decided, 
apparently  without  hesitation  or  thought  of  doing 
otherwise,  to  remain  quietly  in  their  encampment  in 
the  religious  observance  of  the  Lord's  day.  Some 
may  say  that  this  was  fanaticism ;  that  a  more  en- 
lightened judgment  would  have  taught  them  that  the 
Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sab- 
bath ;  and  that  situated  as  they  then  were,  it  was  a 
work  of  necessity  and  mercy  to  prosecute  their  tour 
without  delay. 

But  these  men  believed  it  to  be  their  duty  to 
sanctify  the  Sabbath  by  resting  from  all  but  necessary 
labor.  Thus  believing,  their  decision  could  not  but 
be  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God.  Captain  Miles 
Standish,  as  we  have  mentioned,  was  the  leader  of 
this  expedition.  The  decision  must  have  been,  con- 
sequently in  accordance  with  his  views. 

Governor  Bradford,  describing  this  painful  and 
perilous  adventure,  writes :  "And  though  it  was  very 
dark  and  rained  sore,  yet  in  the  end  they  got  under 
the  lee  ol  a  small  island  and  remained  there  all  night 


70  MILES   STANDISH. 

in  safety.  But  they  knew  not  this  to  be  an  island  till 
morning,  but  were  divided  in  their  minds.  Some 
would  keep  the  boat  for  fear  they  might  be  among 
the  Indians.  Others  were  so  weak  and  cold,  they 
could  not  endure,  but  got  ashore  and  with  much  ado 
got  a  fire,  all  things  being  so  wet,  and  the  rest  were 
glad  to  come  to  them ;  for  after  midnight  the  wind 
shifted  to  the  northwest  and  it  froze  hard. 

"  But  though  this  had  been  a  day  and  night  of  much 
trouble  and  danger  unto  them,  yet  God  gave  them  a 
morning  of  comfort  and  refreshing,  as  He  usually 
does  to  His  children ;  for  the  next  day  was  a  fair, 
sunshining  day,  and  they  found  themselves  to  be  on 
an  island,  secure  from  the  Indians,  where  they  might 
dry  their  stuff,  fix  their  pieces  and  rest  themselves, 
and  give  God  thanks  for  his  mercies  in  their  manifold 
deliverances.  And  this  being  the  last  day  of  the 
week  they  prepared  to  keep  the  Sabbath." 

In  their  frail  camp  they  spent  the  sacred  hours  of 
the  Lord's  day,  in  thankgivings  and  supplications  and 
in  hymning  the  praises  of  God.  They  named  this 
spot,  where  they  had  found  brief  refuge  from  the 
storm,  Clark's  Island,  in  honor  of  the  cf.ptain  of  the 
Mayflower. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Landing. 

The  Voyage  Resumed. — Enter  an  Unknown  Harbor. — Aspect  of  the 
Land. — Choose  it  for  their  Settlement. — The  Mayflower  Enters 
the  Harbor. — Sabbath  on  Shipboard. — Exploring  the  Region. — 
The  Storm  and  Exposure. — The  Landing. — View  from  the  Hill. — 
Arduous  Labors. — The  Alarm. — Arrangement  of  the  Village. — 
The  Evident  Hostility  of  the  Indians. — Gloomy  Prospects. — Ex- 
pedition of  Captain  Standish. — Billington's  Sea. — Lost  in  the 
Woods. — Adventures  of  the  Lost  Men. — The  Alarm  of  Fire. 

The  Pilgrims,  having  passed  the  Sabbath  in  rest 
and  devotion  upon  the  island,  early  the  next  morning 
repaired  their  shattered  boat  and  spreading  their  sails 
again  to  the  wintry  winds  continued  their  tour.  Soon 
a  large  bay  opened  before  them,  partially  protected 
by  a  long  sand  bar  from  the  gales  and  the  billows  of 
the  ocean.  It  was  but  a  poor  harbor  at  the  best. 
The  low  and  dreary  sand  bar  broke  the  fury  of  the 
waves,  but  afforded  no  protection  against  the  fierce 
gales  which  swept  the  seas. 

Cautiously  our  adventurers  sailed  around  the  point 
of  sand,  every  few  moments  dropping  the  lead  that 
they  might  find  a  channel  of  sufficient  depth  of  water 
to  allow  their  vessel  to  enter  the  bay.  Having  found 
this  passage,  they  steered  for  the  shore  and  landed 


72  MILES   STANDISH. 

They  found  here  one  or  two  streams  of  pure  water, 
several  corn  fields  which  had  evidently,  in  former 
times  been  cultivated  by  the  Indians,  in  their  rude 
style  of  agriculture,  but  which,  for  some  reason  they 
had  abandoned.  Eagerly  they  looked  for  some  nav- 
igable river,  but  could  find  none.  The  soil,  though 
not  so  rich  as  they  could  wish,  seemed  promising. 
The  landscape  was  pleasingly  diversified  with  hills 
and  valleys,  while  the  forest,  in  its  mysterious  gloom, 
spread  far  away  to  unknown  regions  in  the  west. 

The  location  was  by  no  means  such  as  they  had 
hoped  to  find.  But  it  was  far  superior  to  any  other 
which  had  as  yet  presented  itself.  As  winter  was 
approaching  and  time  pressed  they  decided  to  look 
no  further.  A  party  of  them,  well  armed,  marched 
along  the  shore  for  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  in  search 
of  a  suitable  spot  for  their  village.  They  selected  a 
spot,  but  saw  no  natives,  no  wigwams,  and  no  signs 
that  the  region  had  recently  been  inhabited. 

Having,  in  their  own  minds,  settled  the  important 
question  they  spread  their  sails  and,  instead  of  return- 
ing by  the  long  circuit  of  the  shore,  which  they  had 
traversed,  pushed  boldly  across  the  bay,  and  in  a  few 
hours  reached  the  ship  with  their  report.  Without 
loss  of  time  the  Mayflower  weighed  anchor  on  the 
1 5th  of  December,  and  crossing  the  bay  anchored  on 
the  1 6th  in  the  shallow  water  of  the  harbor  about  a 


THE   LANDING.  73 

mile  and  a  half  from  the  shore.  The  next  day  was 
the  Sabbath,  Strong  as  was  the  temptation  to  land, 
they  all  remained  on  board  the  vessel,  and  their 
hymns  of  thankfulness  blended  with  the  moan  of  the 
wintry  gale  as  it  swept  through  the  icy  shrouds. 

Early  Monday  morning  Miles  Standish  set  out 
with  a  small  but  well  armed  party  to  explore  that  par/: 
of  the  country  which  immediately  surrounded  the 
harbor,  to  decide  upon  the  spot  where  they  should 
rear  their  little  village  of  log  huts.  They  traversed 
the  coast  for  a  distance  of  several  miles.  Several 
brooks  of  crystal  water  were  found,  but  to  their  dis- 
appointment no  navigable  river  rolling  down  its  flood 
from  the  unknown  interior.  They  scarcely  knew 
whether  to  be  glad  or  sorry  that  they  found  no  In- 
dians and  no  indications  that  the  Indians  then  occu- 
pied the  region.  Several  quite  extended  fields  were 
found,  where  the  heavily  timbered  forest  had  disap- 
peared and  where  it  was  evident  that  the  Indians,  in 
former  years,  had  raised  their  harvests  of  corn.  At 
night  the  party  returned  to  the  ship  not  having  fixed 
upon  any  spot  for  their  settlement. 

"The  next  day,  the  igth,  another  exploring  party 
set  out  moving  in  an  opposite  direction.  They 
divided  into  two  companies,  one  to  sail  along  the 
coast  in  the  shallop,  hoping  to  find  the  mouth  of  some 
large  river.  The  other  party  landed  and  marched 
4 


74  MILES   STANDISH. 

along  the  shore,  examining  the  lay  of  the  land,  the 
streams,  the  soil,  and  the  timber  of  the  forests.  At 
night  they  returned  to  the  ship,  still  somewhat  unde- 
cided. They  had  however  found  one  spot  where 
there  was  a  small  stream  of  very  clear,  sweet  water, 
which  seemed  to  be  well  stocked  with  fish,  and  a  high 
hill,  a  little  back  from  the  shore,  which  could  be  easily 
fortified,  and  which  commanded  a  very  extensive  view 
of  the  surrounding  country  and  the  ocean.  "  It  had 
clay,  sand  and  shells,"  writes  Bradford,  "for  bricks, 
mortar  and  pottery,  and  stone  for  wells  and  chimneys. 
The  sea  and  beach  promised  abundance  of  fish  and 
fowl,  and  four  or  five  small  running  brooks  brought  a 
supply  of  very  sweet,  fresh  water." 

The  next  morning,  after  earnest  and  united  prayer 
for  divine  guidance,  a  still  larger  party  of  twenty  was 
sent  on  shore,  more  carefully  to  examine  the  spot 
which  had  been  suggested  for  their  village.  Though 
it  was  not  all  they  could  desire,  it  still  presented 
many  attractions.  It  was  a  cold  December  day. 
They  climbed  the  hill,  and  gazed  with  pleasure  upon 
a  prospect  which  was  sublime  and  beautiful  even  on 
that  bleak  and  windy  day,  when  the  boughs  of  the 
trees  were  naked  and  when  the  withered  leaves  were 
borne  like  snow  flakes  on  the  wintry  air.  They  tried 
to  imagine  its  loveliness  in  the  luxuriance  and  bloom 
of  a  June  morning. 


THE   LANDING.  75 

While  they  stood  upon  the  hill,  the  clouds,  which 
all  the  morning  had  been  darkening  the  sky,  began  to 
increase  in  density  and  gather  in  blackness.  The 
wind  rose  to  a  gale,  and  the  windows  of  heaven 
seemed  to  be  opened,  as  the  rain  fell  upon  them  in 
torrents.  All  unsheltered  they  found  themselves  ex- 
posed to  the  fury  of  a  New  England  northeast  storm. 
Huge  billows  from  the  ocean  swept  the  poorly  pro- 
tected harbor  and  broke  in  such  surges  upon  the 
beach  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  return  to  the 
ship.  They  were  totally  unprepared  for  an  emer- 
gency so  unexpected.  Night  came,  a  long,  dark, 
cold,  stormy  night.  They  sought  shelter  in  the  for- 
est, constructed  a  rude  camp  which  but  poorly  shel- 
tered them  from  wind  and  rain,  and  building  a  large 
fire,  found  such  comfort  as  they  could  in  the  imper- 
fect warmth  which  it  afforded.  All  the  night  of 
Wednesday  and  all  day  Thursday  the  northeast  storm 
raged  with  fury  unabated.  Towards  the  evening  of 
Thursday  the  2ist  there  was  a  lull  in  the  tempest,  so 
that  the  weary  adventurers  succeeded  in  working 
their  way  back  to  the  ship. 

The  next  day  was  the  ever-memorable  Friday, 
December  22d.  A  wintry  storm,  with  its  angry  bil- 
lows, still  swept  the  bay.  The  day  opened  upon  the  Pil- 
grims cold,  cloudy  and  dreary.  The  long  and  anx- 
iously looked  for  hour  had  now  come,  when  the  May- 


76  MILES   STANDISH. 

flower,  the  only  material  tie  which  bound  them  to  the 
Old  World,  was  to  be  abandoned,  and  these  bold  men 
were  to  be  left  three  thousand  miles  from  their  native 
shores,  to  struggle  with  all  the  known  and  unknown 
perils  and  hardships  of  the  wilderness.  Familiar  as 
are  the  graphic  words  of  Mrs.  Hemans,  the  first  verse 
of  her  memorable  hymn  so  truthfully  describes  the 
scene  which  that  morning  was  presented  to  the  Pil- 
grims, as  to  be  worthy  of  transcript  here  : 

"The  breaking  waves  dashed  high 

On  a  stern  and  rock-bound  coast, 
And  the  woods  against  a  stormy  sky, 
Their  giant  branches  toss'd." 

At  an  early  hour  all  the  passengers  of  the  May- 
flower were  assembled  upon  the  deck  of  their  little 
ship,  bowed  down  by  emotions  not  easily  described. 
Men,  women  and  children,  all  were  there,  oppressed 
by  thoughts  too  deep  for  utterance.  Elder  Brewster 
conducted  their  morning  devotions  as  the  wintry  gale 
breathed  forth  its  requiem  through  the  icy  shrouds. 
Sublime  as  was  the  hour,  not  one  of  those  men  of 
martyr  spirit  could  have  had  any  true  conception  of 
its  grandeur.  They  could  not  have  been  conscious 
that  then  and  there  they  were  laying  the  foundations 
of  one  of  the  mightiest  empires  upon  which  the  sun 
has  ever  shone. 

Their  devotions  being  ended,  boat  load  after  boat 


THE  LANDING.  77 

load  left  the  ship  which,  in  consequence  of  the  shallow- 
ness  of  the  water,  was  anchored  at  the  distance  of  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  shore.  There  was  a  large  and  jag- 
ged rock  projecting  into  the  sea,  upon  which  a  land- 
ing was  with  difficulty  effected.  Those  who  first  were 
placed  upon  shore  marked  out  a  street  from  their  point 
of  landing  directly  westward  to  the  hill,  upon  each 
side  of  which  street  their  log  huts  were  to  be  reared. 

One  of  the  first  things,  however,  to  be  done,  was 
to  erect  a  log  store-house,  about  twenty  feet  square, 
where  they  could  deposit  their  effects,  which  were  im- 
mediately to  be  landed  from  the  ship,  and  where  the 
women  and  the  children  could  find  a  temporary  shel- 
ter from  wind  and  rain. 

In  the  old  style  of  computing  time,  the  day  of 
their  landing  was  the  iith  of  December.  For  many 

7i 

years  the  22d  day  of  ^Sejptember,  new  style,  has  been 
observed  as  "  Forefather's  Day."  It  is  said,  however, 
that  December  iith,  O.  S.,  corresponds  with  Decem- 
ber 2 1st,  N.  S.  But  when  the  anniversary  was  insti- 
tuted at  Plymouth,  in  1 769,  eleven  days  were  added  for 
difference  of  style,  instead  of  ten,  the  true  difference. 
The  common  house,  to  which  we  have  alluded,  it 
is  supposed  was  erected  on  the  south  side  of  what  is 
now  called  Leyden  street,  near  the  declivity  of  the 
hill.  All  hands  working  energetically,  this  building 
was  speedily  put  up,  with  a  thatched  roof. 


78  MILES   STANDISH. 

Though  the  situation  for  their  colony  was  not  every 
thing  they  could  desire,  yet,  as  they  prosecuted  their 
labors,  they  became  better  and  better  satisfied  with 
the  choice  which  they  had  made.  One  of  their  num- 
ber wrote ; 

"  There  are  here  cleared  lands,  delicate  springs, 
and  a  sweet  brook  running  under  the  hill  side,  with 
fish  in  their  season,  where  we  may  harbor  our  shallops 
and  boats.  On  the  further  side  is  much  corn  ground. 
There  is  a  high  hill  on  which  to  plant  our  ordnance. 
Thence  we  may  see  into  the  bay,  and  far  out  at  sea, 
and  have  a  glimpse  of  the  distant  cape.  Our  great- 
est labor  will  be  the  bringing  of  wood.  What  people 
inhabit  here  we  know  not,  as  we  have  yet  seen  none." 

All  the  day  of  Saturday  every  able-bodied  man 
of  the  Pilgrims  was  on  the  shore  laboring  with  all 
possible  diligence,  felling  trees,  hewing  them,  and 
dragging  them  with  their  own  hands  to  the  building 
lots,  for  they  had  no  horses  or  oxen.  The  women 
also  were  diligently  at  work  cooking  at  camp  fires  and 
helping  to  stow  away  their  goods  as  they  were  brought 
on  shore. 

The  whole  company  was  divided  into  nineteen 
families,  each  family  to  build  its  own  log  hut.  For 
protection  against  the  Indians  it  was  needful  that 
these  huts  should  be  clustered  near  together.  The 
captain  of  the  Mayflower  brought  all  the  energies  of 


THE  LANDING.  79 

his  crew  into  requisition  in  transporting  the  luggage 
to  the  shore,  for  his  provisions  were  last  disappearing, 
and  he  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  set  out  on  his  re- 
turn. The  distance  of  the  ship  from  the  land  caused 
much  time  to  be  lost  in  going  and  coming.  For  sev- 
eral days  a  portion  of  the  Pilgrim  band  remained  to 
lodge  in  the  ship,  while  others  were  on  the  shore. 
The  labors  of  all  were  rendered  painful  and  much  im- 
peded by  cold  and  stormy  weather.  Often  the  bay, 
swept  by  the  wintry  gale,  was  so  rough  that  no  boat 
could  leave  the  ship,  and  there  could  be  no  commu- 
nication between  the  two  parties. 

Sunday  was  again  with  them  all  a  day  of  rest  and 
devotion,  though  they  were  divided,  some  being  still 
on  board  the  ship,  while  others  were  in  their  frail 
shelters  on  the  land.  Those  on  shore  assembled,  for 
their  devotions,  in  their  partially  finished  store-house. 
Their  harps  must  have  been  hung  upon  the  willows, 
and  pensive  must  have  been  the  strains  which  were 
breathed  from  their  lips  as  they  endeavored  to  sing 
the  Lord's  songs  in  a  strange  land.  As  with  firm  but 
saddened  voices  they  sang,  they  were  startled  by  the 
war-whoop  of  the  Indians  in  the  forest.  They  knew 
those  fearful  cries  too  well  which  many  of  them  had 
heard  at  the  First  Encounter. 

Their  efficient  military  commander,  Miles  Stand- 
ish,  had  everything  arranged  for  such  an  emergency 


80  MILES    STANDISH. 

Instantly  every  man  seized  his  musket  and  was  at  hia 
post.  Behind  their  barricade  of  logs,  they  could,  with 
their  deadly  fire  arms,  repel  almost  any  number  of 
savages  approaching  over  the  open  fields  with  only 
bows  and  arrows.  The  Indians,  who  had  been  already 
taught  to  dread  these  weapons,  after  carefully  recori- 
noitering  the  position  of  the  Pilgrims,  vented  their 
rage  in  a  few  impotent  yells,  and,  without  any  expo- 
sure of  their  persons  to  the  bullet,  retreated  into  the 
wilderness. 

The  next  day  was  Christmas.  With  renewed  dil- 
igence the  Pilgrims  plied  their  labors.  "  We  went  on 
shore,"  writes  Mourt,  "  some  to  fell  timber,  some  to 
saw,  some  to  rive,  and  some  to  carry.  So  no  man 
rested  all  that  day:" 

As  we  have  mentioned,  there  were  nineteen  fam- 
ilies, but  they  differed  considerably  in  size.  The  sin- 
gle men  joined  themselves  to  some  of  these  families. 
The  lots  of  land  assigned  to  these  families  differed  in 
size,  according  to  the  number  of  the  household.  To 
each  individual  person  there  was  allotted  about  eight 
feet  in  breadth  by  fifty  in  length.  This  would  make 
but  about  four  hundred  square  feet  for  each  one. 
Thus,  a  family  of  six  persons  would  have  a  lot  but 
forty-eight  feet  wide  by  fifty  deep.  This  seems  an 
incredibly  small  amount  of  land  for  each  homestead, 
when  the  Pilgrims  had  the  whole  continent  of  North 


THE   LANDING.  8 1 

America  before  them.  The  explanation  is  probably 
to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  it  was  necessary  for  them 
to  place  their  houses  as  near  together  as  possible ; 
that,  with  neither  horses,  oxen,  or  any  other  beasts  of 
burden,  it  was  but  a  small  portion  of  land  which  any 
one  man  could  cultivate  ;  and,  again,  if  any  one  wished 
for  more  land,  there  were  fields  all  around  him,  en- 
tirely free,  and  no  one  would  dispute  his  title  deed. 
The  homestead  lots  were  so  arranged  as  to  make  the 
little  cluster  of  huts  a  fortress,  protected  by  their  can- 
non, where  their  whole  force  could  be  instantly  ral- 
lied for  the  public  defense.  Towards  night  of  Christ- 
mas day,  the  yells  of  evidently  unfriendly  savages 
were  heard  in  the  depths  of  the  forest.  This  caused 
every  man  to  seize  his  musket  and  place  himself  in 
the  attitude  of  defense.  The  wary  savages,  however, 
while  uttering  these  impotent  menaces,  still  kept  them- 
selves carefully  concealed. 

Tuesday,  the  26th  of  December,  ushered  in  such 
a  storm  of  rain  that  those  on  shore  could  do  no  work, 
and  the  gale  so  roughened  the  bay  that  those  on  board 
the  ship  could  not  venture  an  attempt  to  land.  •  The 
next  day  the  storm  abated,  and  every  available  man 
was  at  work.  As  it  seemed  very  evident  that  the 
savages  were  hostile,  and  it  was  apprehended  that 
they  might  be  gathering  for  a  general  assault,  it  was 
deemed  necessary,  notwithstanding  the  pressing  need 
4* 


82  MILES   STANDISH. 

of  dwellings,  that  all  should  go  to  work  upon  the 
hill,  in  the  construction  of  a  rude  fort  and  platform 
for  their  ordnance.  The  vestiges  of  this  fortification 
are  still  visible  on  the  Burial  Hill,  where  the  guns 
could  sweep  with  grape  shot  the  approaches  to  their 
village.  It  was  hoped  that  the  thunders  of  these  for- 
midable weapons  of  war,  followed  by  the  carnage  they 
could  inflict,  should  the  savages  approach  in  great 
numbers,  would  overwhelm  them  with  terror. 

The  weather,  during  the  remainder  of  the  week, 
continued  very  unfavorable,  it  being  cold,  wet  and 
stormy.  Still  the  works  on  the  land  slowly  advanced 
The  savages,  without  showing  themselves,  continued 
to  hover  around,  and  the  smokes  of  great  fires  were 
seen,  apparently  at  the  distance  of  about  six  or  seven 
miles,  indicating  that  the  Indians,  in  large  numbers, 
were  gathering  around  them. 

The  last  day  of  the  year  1620  came,  sombre  and 
sad.  It  was  the  Sabbath.  Many  were  sick.  All 
were  dejected.  Wintry  dreariness  frowned  over  earth 
and  sea.  Howling  savages  filled  the  forest.  The 
provisions  of  the  Pilgrims  were  very  scanty.  The 
Mayflower  was  soon  to  leave  them,  to  contend,  a  fee- 
ble band,  against  apparently  hostile  elements,  and 
against  the  far  more  formidable  hostility  of  savage 
men.  To  meet  these  perils  the  Pilgrims  could  num- 
ber but  forty-one  men.  Sickness  had  already  com- 


THE   LANDING.  83 

menced  its  ravages,  and  of  these  men,  within  three 
months,  twenty-one  died.  The  chances  that  such  a 
colony  could  long  be  preserved  from  extinction,  must 
have  seemed  almost  infinitely  small.  As  usual,  the 
Pilgrims  rested  from  labor,  and  devoted  the  day,  some 
on  shore,  some  in  the  ship,  to  prayer  and  praise.  On 
this  day  the  Pilgrims  solemnly  named  their  little  vil- 
lage Plymouth,  in  grateful  remembrance  of  the  kind- 
ness which  they  had  received  from  the  people  of  Ply- 
mouth, in  England. 

Monday  morning,  the  first  day  of  the  new  year, 
dawned  propitiously  upon  these  bold-hearted  exiles. 
A  cloudless  sky  and  genial  atmosphere  invited  them 
to  labor.  It  was  still  necessary  to  be  ever  prepared 
for  an  attack  from  their  unseen  foes.  With  no  little 
solicitude,  while  urging  forward  their  work,  they 
watched  the  moving  columns  of  smoke,  which  day  by 
day  rose  from  the  distant  wilderness,  and  the  gleam 
of  the  fires,  which  by  night  illumined  the  horizon,  in- 
dicating the  movement  and  position  of  the  Indians. 
During  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  these  fires  seemed 
to  increase  in  numbers.  They  were  thus  led  to  infer 
that  the  savages  were  collecting  in  large  numbers 
from  distant  parts,  and  were  making  careful  prepara- 
tion for  a  general  and  simultaneous  assault  upon  the 
feeble  colony. 

On  Thursday  morning,  the  4th  of  January,  Cap- 


84  MILES   STANDISH. 

tain  Miles  Standish,  who  might  be  truly  called  the 
"  bravest  of  the  brave,"  took  with  him  four  men,  well 
armed,  and  boldly  plunged  into  the  forest,  intending 
to  find  the  Indians  at  their  rendezvous,  and  if  possi- 
ble, to  open  friendly  relations  with  them.  Adopting 
every  precaution  to  avoid  falling  into  an  ambuscade, 
he  rapidly  pushed  forward  several  miles  into  the  path- 
less wilderness,  threading  gloomy  ravines,  crossing 
rivulets,  and  traversing  sublime  forests.  The  wary 
Indians  had  undoubtedly  their  scouts  stationed  to  give 
warning  of  any  approach  of  the  white  men  ;  for  Cap- 
tain Standish  could  not  catch  sight  of  a  single  one  of 
the  savages,  though  he  found  several  of  their  deserted 
wigwams,  and  even  the  still  glowing  embers  of  their 
camp  fires.  The  adventurers  were  also  disappointed 
in  finding  that  the  woods  seemed  destitute  of  game. 
Upon  their  return,  at  the  close  of  the  afternoon,  they 
shot  one  solitary  eagle,  whose  flesh  the  Pilgrims,  in 
their  half  famished  state,  pronounced  to  be  "  excellent 
meat,  hardly  to  be  discerned  from  mutton." 

Friday  and  Saturday  passed  away  without  any 
event  of  importance  occurring,  while  all  hands  were 
diligently  at  work.  Another  Sabbath  of  rest,  the  7th 
of  January,  dawned  upon  these  toil-worn  men  and 
women.  The  sun,  of  Monday,  the  8th,  rose  in  a 
cloudless  sky.  All  bent  themselves  eagerly  to  work. 
By  some  unaccountable  oversight  no  small  fishhooks 


THE  LANDING.  85 

had  been  brought  with  them.  Thus,  though  the  har- 
bor and  the  brook  apparently  abounded  with  fishes, 
they  could  not  be  taken.  The  shallop,  however,  was 
sent  out  to  explore  the  coast,  ascertain  where  fishes 
could  be  found,  and  supplied  with  apparatus  for 
taking  seals,  which  were  seen  in  large  numbers. 
In  the  evening  the  boat  returned,  a  gale  having  in 
the  mean  time  arisen  which  greatly  endangered  its 
safety.  The  crew  had  •  taken  three  large  seals,  and 
in  some  way,  perhaps  by  spearing,  had  got  an  excel- 
lent codfish. 

One  of  their  number,  Francis  Billington,  had,  ,a 
few  days  before,  climbed  a  tree  upon  the  top  of  a  hill, 
whence  he  saw,  about  two  miles  southwest  from  the 
town,  a  large  body  of  water,  which  was  either  a  lake 
or  an  arm  of  the  sea,  he  could  not  tell  which.  He 
started  to-day,  with  a  companion,  to  visit  it,  and  found 
two  large  lakes  of  crystal  water,  nearly  connected 
together.  One  was  about  six  miles  in  circuit,  embel- 
lished with  a  small,  luxuriantly  wooded  island.  The 
other  they  estimated  to  be  about  three  miles  in  cir- 
cumference. They  both  abounded  with  fish  and  water 
fowl,  and  apparently  an  unfailing  stream  of  water, 
which  is  now  called  Town  Brook,  issued  from  one  of 
the  lakes  and  emptied  into  the  harbor  a  little  south 
of  the  rock  upon  which  the  Pilgrims  landed.  Several 
Indian  houses,  but  all  uninhabited,  were  found  upon 


86  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  margin  of  these  sheets  of  water,  which  were  es- 
sentially one  lake. 

"This  beautiful  pond,  so  accurately  described, 
bears  the  appropriate  name  of  Billington  Sea.  In  the 
first  century  it  was  called  Fresh  Lake.  It  is  about 
two  miles  southwest  from  the  town,  and  in  it  are  two 
small  islands.  It  is  now,  as  at  first,  embosomed  in  a 
wilderness  of  woods.  The  eagle  still  sails  over  it, 
and  builds  in  the  branches  of  the  surrounding  forest. 
Here  the  loon  cries,  and  leaves  her  eggs  on  the  shore 
of  the  smaller  island.  Here  too,  the  beautiful  wood- 
duck  finds  a  sequestered  retreat ;  and  the  fallow  deer, 
mindful  of  their  ancient  haunts,  still  resort  to  it  to 
drink  and  to  browse  on  its  margin."  * 

On  Tuesday,  Wednesday  and  Thursday  all  hands 
were  busy  in  their  out-door  work.  The  store-house, 
or,  as  they  called  it,  the  Common  House,  was  nearly 
finished  and  thatched.  The  cold,  damp  weather  hin- 
dered them  very  much,  so  that  they  could  seldom 
work  more  than  half  of  the  time.  Friday  morning 
dawned  pleasantly,  but  about  noon  the  clouds  gath- 
ered, and  the  chill  rain  began  to  fall,  and  an  increas- 
ing gale  moaned  through  ,the  tree  tops.  Four  men 
had  gone  out  into  the  woods  in  the  morning  to  gather 
tall  dry  grass  for  thatching.  In  the  afternoon  two  of 

*  Note  to  Young's  Chronicles  of  the  Pilgrims. 


THE  LANDING.  8/ 

them  returned,  and  said  that  in  some  way  they  had 
lost  sight  of  their  companions.  They  had  searched 
for  them  in  vain ;  and  though  they  had  hallooed  and 
"shouted  as  loud  as  they  could,  they  could  hear  nothing 
from  them.  Intense  solicitude  was  felt  for  them,  and 
a  party  of  four  or  five  men  were  immediately  dis- 
patched to  search  in  the  direction  in  which  they  were 
last  seen.  After  an  absence  of  a  few  hours  they 
returned,  at  the  close  of  the  day,  not  having  been  able 
to  discover  any  traces  of  the  lost,  though  they  found 
many  indications  that  the  Indians  were  lurking  around. 
The  long,  stormy  wintry  night  passed  slowly  away, 
and  still  there  were  no  tidings  of  the  wanderers.  In 
the  morning  twelve  men,  well  armed,  probably  under 
the  leadership  of  Captain  Miles  Standish,  set  out  for 
a  more  extended  exploration.  It  was  well  known 
that  Captain  Standish  would  fail  in  nothing  which 
mortal  energy  or  courage  could  accomplish.  The 
prayers  of  the  sorrowing  band  accompanied  them  as 
they  plunged  into  the  forest.  After  a  long  and  care- 
ful search,  in  which  they  could  find  no  trace  whatever 
of  the  lost  men,  they  returned  at  night  in  deep  dejec- 
tion to  their  companions.  All  the  Pilgrims  gathered 
around  them,  men,  women  and  children,  to  hear  the 
account  of  their  unsuccessful  search. 

While  thus  assembled  they  were  startled  by  a  shout 
in  the  distance,  and  looking  up,  to  their  inexpressible 


88  MILES   STANDISH. 

joy,  saw  the  two  men  emerging  from  the  forest.  They 
ran  to  meet  the  wanderers,  John  Goodman  and  Peter 
Brown,  whose  apparition  was  as  life  from  the  dead. 
Their  tattered  garments  and  emaciate  cheeks  testi- 
fied to  the  hardships  which  they  had  endured.  The 
following  was  the  account  which  they  gave  of  their 
adventure : 

As  they  were  gathering  some  long  grass,  for  thatch- 
ing, about  a  mile  from  the  village,  probably  on  the 
banks  of  Town  Brook,  they  saw  a  pond  in  the  distance, 
perhaps  Murdock's  Pond,  and  repaired  to  it.  Upon 
the  margin  of  the  pond  they  found  a  deer  drinking. 
Two  dogs  they  had  with  them  sprang  after  the  deer, 
and  pursued  it  eagerly  into  the  forest.  The  men  fol- 
lowed, hoping  that  the  dogs  would  seize  the  deer,  and 
that  thus  they  might  be  able  to  capture  so  rich  a  prize. 
As,  led  by  the  baying  of  the  hounds,  they  followed 
the  deer  in  its  windings  and  turnings,  they  became 
bewildered  and  lost  in  the  pathless  wilds  which  they 
had  penetrated.  All  the  afterno'on  they  wandered  in 
vain  seeking  some  clew  to  lead  them  back  to  their 
home. 

Night,  dismal  night,  lowered  over  them  with  clouds, 
a  rising  gale,  and  snow  mingled  with  rain.  They  had 
no  axes  with  which  to  construct  a  shelter.  They 
could  find  no  cave  or  hollow  tree  in  which  to  take 
refuge.  Weary,  foot-sore  and  starving,  and  with  no 


THE   LANDING.  89 

weapon  but  a  small  sickle  with  which  they  had  been 
cutting  thatch,  they  heard  the  howling  of  wolves  around 
them,  and  other  strange  cries  from  wild  beasts,  of 
they  knew  not  what  ferocity.  Their  only  protection 
seemed  to  be  to  climb  into  a  tree.  They  tried  it. 
The  keen  wintry  blast  so  pierced  their  thin  clothing 
that  they  could  not  endure  the  cold.  Death  by  freez- 
ing would  be  inevitable. 

The  blackness  of  Egyptian  darkness  was  now 
around  them.  They  also  heard  a  fearful  roaring  of 
wild  beasts,  which  was  undoubtedly  the  howling  of 
wolves,  but  which  they  supposed  to  be  the  roar  of 
lions.  They  stood  at  the  root  of  the  trees  all  the  night 
long,  exercising  as  they  could  to  keep  themselves 
warm,  ever  ready  to  spring  into  the  branches  should 
danger  approach.  They  were  compelled  to  hold  one 
of  their  dogs  by  the  neck,  he  was  so  eager  to  rush  in 
pursuit  of  the  beasts  whose  cries  excited  him. 

The  long  winter  night  at  length  gave  way  to  the 
gloom  of  a  stormy  morning.  Half  frozen  and  starv- 
ing, and  expecting  to  perish  in  the  wilderness,  these 
lost  men  resumed  their  search  for  home.  They  waded 
through  swamps,  forded  streams,  encountered  ponds, 
struggled  through  thickets  which  tore  clothing  and 
skin.  At  last  they  came  to  a  hill.  Climbing  one  of 
the  tallest  trees,  they  saw  the  ocean  in  the  distance, 
and,  to  their  inexpressible  joy,  recognized  the  harbor 


9O  MILES   STANDISH. 

of  Plymouth,  by  two  little  islands  which  dotted  its  sur- 
face. The  sight  reanimated  their  drooping  minds 
and  bodies.  All  day  long,  in  the  extreme  of  exhaus- 
tion, they  tottered  on  their  way,  until  just  before  night- 
fall they  reached  their  home.  The  feet  of  one  of  these 
men,  John  Goodman,  were  so  swollen  that  they  were 
compelled  to  cut  off  his  shoes. 

The  work  of  building  had  advanced  slowly.  The 
days  were  short,  cold  and  stormy.  Nearly  all  were 
enfeebled  by  toil  and  exposure,  while  some  were  se- 
riously sick.  Both  Governor  Carver  and  Mr.  Brad- 
ford, his  successor  in  office,  were  prostrate  with  fevers. 
They  were  on  beds  in  the  Common  House,  where  cots 
had  been  arranged  on  the  floor  for  the  sick,  as  near 
one  to  another  as  they  could  be  placed.  Though 
many  of  the  Pilgrims  were  still  in  the  Mayflower,  the 
majority  lodged  on  shore. 

The  Common  House  was  so  far  finished,  nearly 
all  of  its  roof  being  thatched,  that  it  afforded  protec- 
tion from  the  snow  and  rain,  while  its  thick  walls  of 
logs  shut  off  the  piercing  wind,  and  a  cheerful  fire 
blazed  upon  the  stone  hearth. 

On  Sunday  morning,  January  I4th,  about  six 
o'clock,  the  wind  blowing  almost  a  gale,  they  were 
appalled  by  the  cry  of  "  fire."  The  thatch  of  grass, 
dry  as  tinder,  touched  by  a  spark,  was  in  a  blaze.  All 
the  ammunition  and  most  of  the  arms  had  been  brought 


THE  LANDING.  91 

on  shore  and  deposited  in  the  store-house.  Its  loss 
would  expose  them,  defenceless,  to  the  tomahawk  of 
the  Indian.  Nearly  all  of  their  scanty  supply  of  food 
was  there.  Without  it  starvation  was  inevitable.  The 
people  in  the  ship  saw  the  smoke  and  the  flame,  but 
the  tide  was  out,  and  they  could  not  reach  the  shore. 
Soon,  however,  the  tide  came  in,  the  gale  abated,  and 
a  boat  load  cautiously  advanced  -to  the  land,  where 
they  had  all  proposed  to  pass  the  Sabbath  together, 
the  majority  of  the  company  being  then  on  shore. 
Upon  landing  they  were  cheered  with  the  tidings  that 
the  lost  men  were  found,  and  that  the  fire,  which  had 
been  extinguished,  was  accidental. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Life  On  Shore. 

Days  of  Sunshine  and  Storm. — Ravages  of  Pestilence. — A  Raging 
Storm. — New  Alarm  of  Fire. — Twelve  Indians  Seen. — Two  In- 
dians Appear  on  the  Hill. — Great  Alarm  in  the  Settlement. — 
Measures  of  Defense. — More  Sunny  Days. — Humanity  and  Self- 
Denial  of  Miles  Standish  and  Others. — Conduct  of  the  Ship's 
Crew. — Excursion  to  Billington  Sea. — The  Visit  of  Samoset. — 
Treachery  of  Captain  Hunt. — The  Shipwrecked  Frenchmen. — 
The  Plague. — The  Wampanoags. — More  Indian  Visitors. — Bad 
Conduct  of  the  Billingtons. 

Monday,  the  I5th  of  January,  opened  upon  the 
way-worn  exiles  with  another  storm  of  wind  and  rain, 
so  that  those  on  shipboard  could  not  leave  the  vessel, 
and  those  on  shore  could  do  no  work.  The  next 
three  days,  however,  were  pleasant,  each  morning 
dawning  upon  them  with  rare  loveliness.  Their  hearts 
were  cheered,  and  they  pressed  forward  in  their  la- 
bors with  great  vigor.  The  terrible  fright  which  the 
fire  caused  taught  them  that  they  must  place  their 
store-house  apart  from  the  other  buildings,  and  where 
there  would  be  no  exposure  to  conflagration.  They, 
therefore,  went  immediately  to  work  to  put  up  a  shed 
for  this  purpose,  intending  to  reserve  the  building 
already  erected  as  a  common  lodging  house  until  the 
separate  huts  could  be  reared. 


LIFE   ON   SHORE.  93 

Friday  opened  pleasantly ;  but  at  noon  it  began 
to  rain,  which  prevented  any  out-door  work.  Towards 
evening  the  storm  abated,  and  John  Goodman,  whose 
feet  had  been  sadly  crippled  by  his  exposure  in  the 
woods,  hobbled  out  a  little  way  from  the  village  for 
exercise,  accompanied  by  a  small  spaniel.  Two  half 
famished  wolves  came  leaping  from  the  forest  in  pur- 
suit of  his  dog.  The  terrified  animal  ran  between 
his  master's  legs  for  protection.  Mr.  Goodman  caught 
up  a  heavy  stick,  and  for  some  time  kept  the  ferocious 
beasts  at  bay.  They  kept  at  a  little  distance,  just  out 
of  reach  of  his  club,  gnashing  upon  him  with  their 
sharp  and  glistening  teeth  in  most  dramatic  style.  But 
ere  long  the  wolves,  to  Mr.  Goodman's  intense  relief, 
turned  away  and  rushed  howling  into  the  woods. 

The  next  day,  Saturday  the  2Oth  of  January,  they 
completed  their  shed  for  a  store-house,  and  nearly  all 
of  their  company  came  to  the  land.  On  Sunday,  2ist, 
there  was  a  general  assembling  of  the  Pilgrims  in  the 
Common  House,  as  their  temple,  where  their  revered 
and  beloved  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Brewster,  conducted  di- 
vine worship.  This  was  the  first  Sabbath  on  which 
the  Pilgrims  as  a  body  had  been  able  to  meet  together 
in  their  new  home. 

Monday,  22"d,  was  a  fair  day,  and  during  the  whole 
week  the  weather  continued  propitious.  All  were 
busy,  bringing  boat  loads  of  freight  from  the  ship,  and 


94  MILES   STANDISH. 

packing  away  their  provisions  and  other  goods  in  the 
store-house.  Two  boats  were  employed  in  bringing 
the  luggage  on  shore,  but  it  was  slow  work,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  distant  anchorage  of  the  Mayflower. 
As  they  had  neither  ox,  mule  nor  horse,  all  the  arti- 
cles had  to  be  carried  by  hand  from  the  landing-place 
to  their  destination  many  rods  distant  from  the  shore. 
The  next  week  was  ushered  in  by  a  storm  of 
piercing  wind  and  sleet.  To  add  to  its  gloom,  on  its 
first  day,  Rose,  the  young  and  beautiful  wife  of  Cap- 
tain Standish,  died.  But  care,  sickness,  death  now 
came  in  such  swift  succession  as  to  leave  the  survi- 
vors but  little  time  to  weep  over  the  dead.  The  two 
succeeding  days  the  weather  was  so  inclement  that 
no  work  could  be  done.  Not  very  far  from  the  ship's 
place  of  anchorage  there  was  a  small  island.  On 
Wednesday  morning  those  on  board  the  ship  saw  two 
savages  walking  upon  the  island.  What  they  were 
doing  no  one  could  tell.  They  were  seen  but  for  a 
few  moments,  when  they  retired  out  of  sight  in  the 

**•* 

forest. 

On  Sunday  morning,  February  4th,  a  fearful  gale 
swept  the  bay.  It  was  the  most  severe  storm  the 
Pilgrims  had  yet  encountered.  For  some  time  great 
apprehensions  were  felt  lest  the  ship  should  be  torn 
from  her  moorings  and  dashed  upon  the  shore.  The 
huts,  which  they  were  erecting  for  their  dwellings, 


LIFE   ON   SHORE.  95 

were  of  unhewn  logs,  the  interstices  being  filled  with 
clay.  The  wind  and  the  rain  washed  out  this  clay, 
causing  very  serious  damage.  Much  of  the  thatching 
also,  as  yet  but  insecurely  fastened,  was  whirled  into 
the  air  by  the  tempest,  like  autumn  leaves.  During 
the  whole  of  the  week  the  weather  continued  so  cold 
and  stormy  that  but  little  work  could  be  done. 

In  consequence  of  the  increasing  sickness,  it  had 
been  found  necessary  to  put  up  a  small  house  for  a 
hospital.  On  Friday,  the  Qth,  the  thatched  roof  of 
this  building  took  fire  from  a  spark.  Fortunately  the 
wet  weather  had  so  dampened  the  straw  that  the  fire 
was  extinguished  without  doing  much*  damage. 
Where  wood  was  the  only  fuel,  ever  throwing  up  a 
shower  of  sparks,  a  thatch  of  straw,  often  as  dry  as 
tinder,  seemed  to  invite  conflagration.  Thus  their 
little  hamlet,  of  clustered  log  houses,  was  peculiarly 
exposed  to  the  peril  of  fire.  That  afternoon  five  wild 
geese  were  shot,  which  afforded  a  very  grateful  repast 
to  the  sick  people.  A  good  fat  deer  was  also  found, 
which  had  just  been  killed  by  the  Indians,  and  which, 
for  some  inexplicable  reason  they  had  left,  having  cut 
off  its  horns.  It  is  possible  that  the  wary  savages, 
keeping  a  sharp  look  out,  had  seen  some  of  the  white 
men  approaching,  and  had  fled.  A  wolf  had,  how- 
ever, anticipated  the  Pilgrims,  and  was  daintily  feed- 
ing upon  the  tender  venison. 


96  MILES   STANDISH. 

Another  week  came,  with  great  discouragement 
of  stormy  weather,  and  with  increasing  sickness. 
The  men  worked  to  much  disadvantage,  everything 
having  to  be  done  with  their  own  hands.  The  logs, 
generally  about  a  foot  in  thickness  and  nearly  twenty 
feet  long,  had  often  to  be  dragged  from  very  incon- 
venient distances.  This  was  labor  which  could  not 
safely  be  performed  with  clothing  drenched  with  rain 
and  pierced  with  the  wintry  gale.  Often  whole  days 
were  lost  in  which  no  work  could  be  done. 

Friday,  February  i6th,  was  a  fair  day.  It  was, 
however,  very  cold,  and  the  ground  was  frozen  hard. 
In  the  afternoon  one  of  the  company  took  his  gun  and 
went  into  the  woods  a  fowling.  He  had  gone  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  plantation,  and  had  con- 
cealed himself  in  some  reeds,  which  fringed  a  creek, 
watching  for  wild  geese  or  ducks,  when,  to  his  aston- 
ishment, twelve  Indians  appeared,  walking  towards 
the  plantation,  in  single  file  and  in  perfect  silence. 
Almost  breathless  he  crouched  down  beneath  his  cov- 
ert until  they  had  disappeared,  and  then,  with  the 
utmost  caution,  hastened  back  to  give  the  alarm. 

The  Indians,  it  would  seem,  were  out  upon  a  re- 
connoitering  tour.  They  were  very  careful  not  to 
show  themselves  at  the  settlement,  though  they  came 
sufficiently  near  to  take  some  tools  which  Captain 
Standish  and  Francis  Cooke,  who  had  been  at  work 


LIFE   ON  SHORE.  97 

in  the  woods,  had  left  behind  them,  with  no  apprehen- 
sion that  there  were  any  prowlers  so  near.  The  alarm 
caused  the  whole  Pilgrim  band  immediately  to  rally 
under  arms.  There  was,  however,  nothing  more  seen 
of  the  savages.  But  that  night  a  large  fire  was  dis- 
covered near  the  spot  where  the  twelve  Indians  had 
made  their  appearance. 

It  was  now  deemed  important  to  have  a  more  per- 
fect military  organization,  to  meet  the  dangers  impend- 
ing from  the  manifestly  unfriendly  spirit  of  the  In- 
dians. The  Pilgrims,  in  their  weakened  state,  were 
but  poorly  prepared  for  any  general  assault.  On  Sat- 
urday morning,  the  iQth  of  February,  they 'all  assem- 
.  bled  in  council,  and  Captain  Standish  was  invested 
with  almost  dictatorial  powers  as  military  commander. 
With  characteristic  sagacity  and  energy  he  undertook 
the  responsible  duties  thus  devolving  upon  him. 
While  they  were  assembled  in  consultation,  two  In- 
dians appeared  upon  a  small  eminence,  then  called 
Strawberry  Hill,  on  the  other  side  of  Town  Brook, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  southwest  from  the  village, 
and  made  signs  to  the  Pilgrims  to  come  to  them. 

It  was  not  improbable  that  they  were  a  decoy,  and 
that  hundreds  of  armed  warriors  were  concealed  in 
the  forest  behind,  ready,  at  a  concerted  signal,  to 
raise  the  terrible  war-whoop  and  rush  upon  their  vic- 
tims with  javelin  and  tomahawk.  There  were  not  a 
5 


98  MILES   STANDISH. 

score  of  Pilgrims  able  to  bear  arms.  What  could  they 
do  to  repel  such  an  onset.  It  was  an  awful  hour,  in 
view  of  the  possibilities  which  were  before  them.  The 
women  and  children  huddled  together  in  terror.  It 
seemed  probable  to  them  that  the  Indians  had  long 
been  gathering  and  making  preparations  for  this  as- 
sault, and  that  within  an  hour  their  husbands  and 
fathers  would  be  slain,  and  that  they  would  be  at  the 
mercy  of  the  savages. 

The  perilous  duty  of  advancing  to  meet  the  sav- 
ages, and  of  thus  being  perhaps  the  first  to  fall  into 
the  ambush,  Captain  Standish  took  upon  himself. 
Selecting  Mr.  Stephen  Hopkins,  one  of  the  most  il- 
lustrious of  the  Pilgrims,  and  a  man  alike  distin- 
guished for  his  prudence  and  his  bravery,  to  accom- 
pany him,  he  advanced,  entirely  unarmed,  in  token  of 
his  friendly  disposition,  across  the  brook.  Mr.  Hop- 
kins carried  his  gun.  When  they  reached  the  foot  of 
the  eminence  the  gun  was  laid  upon  the  ground,  as  an 
additional  sign  of  peace,  and  they  both  moved  forward 
to  meet  the  tufted  warriors.  The  conduct  of  the  sav- 
ages was  often  quite  inexplicable.  They  were  as  ca- 
pricious as  children.  On  this  occasion,  as  Captain 
Standish  and  Mr.  Hopkins  slowly  ascended  the  hill, 
the  two  Indians  upon  the  summit  suddenly  turned 
and  fled  precipitately  down  the  other  side  of  the  hill 
into  the  dense  forest. 


LIFE  ON  SHORE.  99 

It  was  a  very  bold  act,  it  seems  to  us  now  a  very 
imprudent  one,  for  these  two  unarmed  men,  still  to 
advance  to  the  summit  of  the  hill,  thus  exposing  them- 
selves to  fall  into  an  Indian  ambush.  They  however 
cautiously  moved  on ;  when  they  reached  the  top  of  the 
hill  not  an  Indian  was  in  sight,  but  they  heard  the  noise 
of  a  great  multitude  retreating  through  the  forest. 
They  were  of  course  greatly  perplexed  to  judge  what 
all  this  senseless  conduct  could  mean.  One  thing, 
however,  was  certain  ;  the  Indians  were  not  disposed 
to  establish  friendly  relations  with  the  new  comers. 

Captain  Standish  made  immediate  and  vigorous 
preparation  for  a  war  of  defense.  It  was  very  evident 
to  him  that,  though  they  might  be  surrounded  by 
cruel,  treacherous  and  inveterate  foes,  they  had  but 
little  to  fear  from  the  intelligence  or  military  ability 
of  their  enemies.  He  had  immediately  brought  on 
shore,  and  mounted  on  the  platform,  which  he  had  ar- 
ranged for  them  on  the  hill,  three  guns.  One  was 
called  a  minion,  with  a  bore  three  and  a  quarter  inches 
in  diameter.  Another  was  a  saker,  about  four  inches 
in  bore.  The  third,  called  a  base,  was  but  little  larger 
than  a  musket,  having  a  bore  but  one  and  a  quarter 
inches  in  diameter.  The  heaviest  gun  weighed  about 
a  thousand  pounds,  and  carried  a  ball  about  four 
pounds  in  weight.  This  important  work  was  all  ac- 
complished by  Wednesday,  February  2ist.  It  ap- 


100  MILES  STANDISH. 

pears  that  the  officers  of  the  Mayflower  assisted  effi- 
ciently in  the  operation.  The  united  company  then 
dined  luxuriously  upon  a  very  fat  goose,  a  fat  crane, 
a  mallard,  *  and  a  dried  neats  tongue.  And  so  we 
were  kindly  and  friendly  together,  f 

Sunday,  the  3d  of  March,  came.  It  was  a  lovely 
day.  The  severity  of  winter  had  passed.  A  dread- 
ful winter  to  the  Pilgrims,  indeed  it  had  been.  Dur- 
ing the  month  of  February  seventeen  of  their  number 
had  died.  Eight  had  died  during  the  month  of  Janu- 
ary. In  burying  the  dead  it  had  been  deemed  neces- 
sary carefully  to  conceal  their  graves  lest  the  Indians, 
in  counting  them,  should  ascertain  how  greatly  they 
had  been  weakened.  Governor  Bradford,  in  record- 
ing these  disastrous  events,  writes  : 

"  After  they  had  provided  a  place  for  their  goods, 
or  common  store,  which  were  long  in  unlading  for 
want  of  boats,  foulness  of  winter  weather  and  sickness 
of  divers,  and  begun  some  small  cottages  for  their 
habitation,  they  met,  as  time  would  admit,  and  con- 
sulted of  laws  and  orders,  both  for  their  civil  and 
military  government,  as  the  necessities  of  their  occa- 
sion did  require. 

"  In  these  hard  and  difficult  beginnings  they  found 
some  discontents  and  murmurings  arise  among  some, 

*  A  Duck.  f  Mourt's  Relation. 


LIFE   ON    SHORE.  IOI 

and  mutinous  speeches  and  carriage  in  others.  But 
they  were  soon  quelled  and  overcome  by  the  wisdom, 
patience,  and  just  and  equal  carriage  of  things,  by  the 
Governor  and  better  part,  which  clave  faithfully  to- 
gether in  the  main.  But  that  which  was  most  sad 
and  lamentable  was  that,  in  two  or  three  months'  time 
half  of  their  company  died  ;  especially  in  January  and 
February,  being  the  depth  of  winter,  and  wanting 
houses  and  other  comforts ;  being  infected  with  scurvy 
and  other  diseases,  which  their  long  voyage  and  inac- 
commodate  condition  had  brought  upon  them ;  so  as 
there  died  sometimes  two  or  three  of  a  day,  that  of 
one  hundred  and  odd  persons,  scarce  filty  remained. * 
"  And  of  these,  in  the  time  of  most  distress,  there 
were  but  six  or  seven  sound  persons  who,  to  their 
great  commendation  be  it  spoken,  spared  no  pains, 
night  nor  day,  but  with  abundance  of  toil  and  hazard 
of  their  own  health,  fetched  them  wood  and  made  them 
fires,  dressed  their  meat,  made  their  beds,  washed 
their  loathsome  clothes,  clothed  and  unclothed  them ; 
in  a  word,  did  all  the  homely  and  necessary  offices 
for  them  which  dainty  and  quesie  stomachs  cannot 
endure  to  hear  named ;  and  all  this  willingly  and 
cheerfully,  without  any  grudging  in  the  least,  shewing 

*  The  bill  of  mortality,  according  to  Prince,  which  he  copied  from 
Bradford,  was  as  follows  :  In  December,  six  died ;  in  January,  eight ; 
in  February,  seventeen ;  in  March,  thirteen ;  total,  forty-four. 


102  MILES  STANDISH. 

herein  their  true  love  unto  their  friends  and  brethren. 
A  rare  example,  and  worthy  to  be  remembered. 

"  Two  of  these  seven  were  Mr.  William  Brewster, 
their  reverend  Elder,  and  Miles  Standish,  their  Cap- 
tain and  military  commander,  unto  whom  myself  and 
many  others  were  much  beholden  in  our  low  and  sick 
condition. 

"  And  yet  the  Lord  so  upheld  these  persons  as, 
in  this  general  calamity,  they  were  not  at  all  infected 
with  sickness  or  lameness.  And  what  I  have  said  of 
these  I  may  say  of  many  others  who  died  in  this  gen- 
eral visitation,  and  others  yet  living,  that  whilst  they 
had  health,  yea  or  any  strength  continuing,  they  were 
not  wanting  to  any  that  had  need  of  them.  And  I 
doubt  not  but  that  their  recompense  is  with  the 
Lord. 

"  But  I  may  not  here  pass  by  another  remarkable 
passage,  never  to  be  forgotten.  As  this  calamity  fell 
among  the  passengers  that  were  to  be  left  here  to 
plant,  and  were  hasted  ashore  and  made  to  drink 
water,  that  the  seamen  might  have  the  more  beer. 
And  one  (Mr.  Bradford)  in  his  sickness  desiring  but 
a  small  can  of  beer,  it  was  answered  that  if  he  were 
their  own  father  he  should  have  none.  The  disease 
began  to  fall  amongst  them  also,  so  as  almost  half  of 
their  company  died  before  they  went  away,  and  many 
of  their  officers  and  lustiest  men,  as  the  boatswain, 


LIFE  ON   SHORE.  1 03 

gunner,  three  quartermasters,  the  cook  and  others. 
At  which  the  Master  was  somewhat  strucken,  and 
sent  to  the  sick,  on  shore,  and  told  the  Governor  he 
would  send  beer  for  them  that  had  need  of  it,  though 
he  drank  water,  homeward  bound. 

"But  now  amongst  his  company  there  was  far 
another  kind  of  carriage  in  this  misery  than  among 
the  passengers.  For  they  that  beforetime  had  been 
boon  companions  in  drinking  and  jollity  in  the  time 
of  their  health  and  welfare,  began  now  to  desert  one 
another  in  this  calamity,  saying  that  they  would  not 
hazard  their  lives  for  them ;  they  should  be  infected 
by  coming  to  them  in  their  cabins.  And  so,  after 
they  came  to  die  by  it,  would  do  little  or  nothing  for 
them,  but  if  they  died,  let  them  die. 

"  But  such  of  the  passengers  as  were  yet  aboard 
shewed  them  what  mercy  they  could,  which  made 
some  of  their  hearts  relent,  as  the  boatswain,  who 
was  a  proud  young  man,  and  would  often  curse  and 
scoff  at  the  passengers.  But  when  he  grew  weak 
they  had  compassion  on  him  and  helped  him.  Then 
he  confessed  he  did  not  deserve  it  at  their  hands ;  he 
had  abused  them  in  word  and  deed.  '  O,'  saith  he, 
'you,  I  now  see,  show  your  love,  like  Christians  in- 
deed, one  to  another.  But  we  let  one  another  lie  and 
die  like  dogs.' 

"  Another  lay  cursing  his  wife,  saying  if  it  had  not 


IO4  MILES   STANDISH. 

been  for  her  he  had  never  come  this  unlucky  voyage, 
and  anori  cursing  his  fellows,  saying  he  had  done  this 
and  that  for  some  of  them ;  he  had  spent  so  much 
and  so  much  amongst  them,  and  they  were  now 
weary  of  him,  and  did  not  help  him  having  need. 
Another  gave  his  companion  all  he  had,  if  he  died,  to 
help  him  in  his  weakness.  He  went  and  got  a  little 
spice,  and  made  him  a  mess  of  meat  once  or  twice ; 
and  because  he  died  not  as  soon  as  he  expected,  he 
went  among  his  fellows  and  swore  the  rogue  would 
cozen  him  ;  he  would  see  him  choked  before  he  made 
him  any  more  meat ;  and  yet  the  poor  fellow  died  be- 
fore morning." 

As  we  have  mentioned,  the  third  of  March  dawn- 
ed beautifully,  sunny  and  mild,  upon  the  weary  Pil- 
grims. The  birds  sang  sweetly,  and  everything  indi- 
cated the  speedy  return  of  the  much-longed-for  sum- 
mer weather.  But  towards  noon  the  clouds  gathered, 
the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  and  they  were  visited  with 
one  of  the  severest  tempests,  accompanied  by  the 
loudest  .thunder,  any  of  them  had  ever  witnessed. 

On  Wednesday,  the  7th  of  March,  a  company  of 
five,  all  well  armed,  accompanied  Governor  Carver  to 
the  great  lakes,  to  which  they  had  given  the  name  of 
Billington  Sea.  These  waters  abounded  with  fish, 
and  it  would  seem  that  by  this  time  they  had  devised 
some  plan  by  which  to  take  them.  They  found  the 


LIFE   ON  SHORE.  1 05 

woods  through  which  they  passed  filled  with  well- 
beaten  deer  tracks,  indicating  the  presence  of  large 
numbers  of  that  species  of  game,  though  they  did  not 
chance  to  meet  with  any.  Many  water  fowl  were  also 
disporting  upon  the  placid  waters  of  the  lake,  some 
of  very  beautiful  plumage.  The  weather  was  so  warm 
and  the  season  so  advanced  that  some  garden  seeds 
were  sown  on  this  day. 

Another  week  passed,  during  which  their  work 
proceeded  very  slowly  in  consequence  of  their  enfee- 
bled numbers  and  the  claims  of  the  sick  on  the  ser- 
vices of  the  few  who  were  well.  Friday,  the  i6th, 
was  a  fair,  warm  day.  Every  one  felt  the  situation 
of  the  colony  to  be  perilous  in  the  extreme.  The 
sailors  of  the  Mayflower  were  suffering  alike  with  the 
Pilgrims  on  the  land.  There  were  but  seven  men 
who,  in  case  of  an  attack,  which  was  hourly  antici- 
pated, could  present  any  efficient  resistance.  The 
onset  of  a  hundred  armed  warriors  (and  a  thousand 
might  come)  would  sweep  away  their  little  village  like 
an  Alpine  avalanche.  The  responsibility  for  the  pub- 
lic defense  thus  resting  upon  Captain  Standish,  was 
very  weighty.  Every  individual  had  his  post  of  duty 
assigned  him,  that  there  should  be  no  confused  or 
embarrassed  action  in  the  alarm.  Captain  Standish 
had  this  morning  assembled  all  who  were  capable  of 
bearing  arms  in  the  northern  part  of  their  little  street, 
5* 


IO6  MILES   STANDISH. 

to  complete  their  military  preparations,  when,  to  their 
surprise,  they  saw  a  solitary  savage  approaching  from 
the  south. 

Without  the  slightest  indication  of  embarrass- 
ment or  hesitation  he  strode  along,  entered  the  street, 
and  advancing  boldly  to  the  rendezvous,  saluted  the 
Pilgrims  with  the  words,  "Welcome  Englishmen." 
His  only  clothing  consisted  of  a  leather  belt  around 
his  waist,  to  which  was  attached  a  fringe,  about  ten 
inches  long.  He  had  a  bow  and  two  arrows.  He 
was  a  powerful  man,  tall  and  straight,  with  very  black 
hair,  long  behind,  but  cut  short  over  the  forehead.  In 
broken  English  he  told  them  that  his  name  was  Samo- 
set,  and  that  he  came  from  the  Island  of  Monhegan, 
between  the  Kennebec  and  Penobscot  rivers,  about 
twelve  miles  from  the  shore. 

This  island  had  for  many  years  been  a  favorite  re- 
sort for  the  English  fishermen.  From  them  he  had 
learned  a  little  English,  and  knew  the  names  of  many 
of  the  captains  who  annually  visited  those  waters. 
Seeing  the  Mayflower  in  the  harbor,  he  supposed  it 
to  be  a  fishing  vessel,  and  thus,  without  any  fear,  ap- 
proached the  men. 

Samoset  affected  to  be  very  free  and  unembar- 
rassed in  his  carriage.  He  declared  himself  to  be 
one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe,  and  assumed  to  be  per- 
fectly informed  respecting  the  whole  adjacent  coun- 


LIFE   ON  SHOR1S.  107 

try,  its  tribes  and  their  strength.  He  called  for  beer, 
and  seemed  disposed  to  make  himself  very  much  at 
home,  entering  the  houses  and  spying  out  with 
an  eagle,  eye  all  the  works  around  him.  Captain 
Standish  was  not  disposed  to  have  his  weakness  ex- 
posed to  this  perhaps  wary  and  treacherous  savage, 
who  might  have  entered  the  village  merely  as  a  spy, 
in  the  interest  of  the  Indian  warriors  who  were  lurk- 
ing in  the  woods  around.  To  make  him  a  little  more 
presentable  to  the  families,  a  large  horseman's  coat 
was  placed  upon  him.  Instead  of  being  allowed  to 
wander  about  at  will,  he  was  entrusted  to  the  keep- 
ing of  Mr.  Hopkins,  who  took  him  to  his  hut  and  fed 
him  with  the  utmost  hospitality. 

From  Samoset  they  learned  three  very  important 
facts.  The  first  was  that  the  Indians,  all  along  the 
coast,  were  greatly  and  justly  exasperated  against  the 
white  men,  by  the  treachery  of  one  Captain  Hunt. 
This  infamous  man,  while  trading  with  the  Indians, 
had  inveigled  twenty-seven  men  on  board  his  ship, 
and  then,  closing  the  hatches  upon  them,  had  carried 
them  off  where  most  of  them  had  never  been  heard 
of  more.  The  wretch  took  these  poor  kidnapped  In- 
dians to  Spain,  and  sold  them  as  slaves,  for  one  hun- 
dred dollars  each.  The  untutored  savages  who,  be- 
,  fore  this,  were  friendly,  being  thus  robbed  of  their 
kindred,  knew  no  better  than  to  wreak  their  ven- 


IO8  MILES   STANDISH. 

geance  upon  any  white  man  whom  they  might  en- 
counter. 

Not  long  after  this  a  French  ship  was  wrecked  on 
Cape  Cod.  The  savages,  burning  with  a  desire  for 
vengeance,  massacred  all  but  three  or  four  of  the 
crew,  whom  they  reserved  as  prisoners.  Everything 
that  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck  they  divided 
among  themselves.  Hence,  perhaps,  the  iron  kettle 
which  the  Pilgrims  had  found  in  one  of  their  explor- 
ing tours.  The  captives  were  sent  from  one  tribe 
to  another,  into  the  interior,  that  there  might  be  no 
possibility  of  a  rescue.  One  of  these  captives,  proba- 
bly a  thoughtful,  perhaps  a  religious  man,  learned 
their  language,  and  told  them  that  "  God  was  angry 
with  them,  and  in  punishment  would  destroy  them 
and.  give  their  country  to  another  people."  They  re- 
plied that  "  they  were  so  numerous  that  God  would 
not  be  able  to  destroy  them." 

But  it  so  happened  that  ere  long  a  terrible  plague, 
resembling  the  yellow  fever,  broke  out  among  the  In- 
dians, sweeping  them  off  by  thousands.  The  whole 
country  became  nearly  depopulated.  In  these  disas- 
trous days  the  Indians  remembered  the  words  of  the 
Frenchman,  and  began  to  fear  that  the  white  man's 
God  was  really  taking  vengeance  upon  them.  When 
the  Mayflower  arrived  they  feared  that  another  people 
had  come  to  take  possession  of  their  lands.  Hence 


LIFE   ON    SHORE.  IOQ 

the  hostile  attitude  which  had  been  assumed,  and  the 
attack  at  the  First  Encounter.  Samoset  seemed  to 
know  all  about  this  attack,  and  said  that  it  was  made 
by  a  tribe  on  the  Cape  called  Nausites. 

It  appears  that  the  plague,  above  referred  to, 
swept  the  whole  seaboard,  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Penobscot  River  to  Narraganset  Bay.  Some  tribes 
became  nearly  extinct.  The  Massachusetts  tribe  was 
reduced,  it  is  said,  from  thirty  thousand  to  three  hun- 
dred fighting  men.  Captain  Dermer,  who  visited  the 
coast  a  year  before  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  writes  : 

"  I  passed  along  the  coast  where  I  found  some 
ancient  plantations,  not  long  since  populous,  now 
utterly  void.  In  other  places  a  remnant  remains,  but 
not  free  of  sickness.  Their  disease  was  the  plague, 
for  we  might  perceive  the  sores  of  some  that  had  es- 
caped, who  described  the  spots  of  such  as  usually 
die." 

Morton  writes  in  his  New  English  Canaan  :  "  Some 
few  years  before  the  English  came  to  inhabit  in  New 
Plymouth,  the  hand  of  God  fell  heavily  upon  the  na- 
tives, with  such  a  mortal  stroke  that  they  died  on 
heaps.  In  a  place  where  many  inhabited  there  hath 
been  but  one  left  alive  to  tell  what  became  of  the  rest. 
And  the  bones  and  skulls  upon  the  several  places  of 
their  habitations  made  such  a  spectacle,  after  my 
coming  into  these  parts,  that  as  I  travelled  in  that 


110  MILES   STANDISH. 

forest,  near  the  Massachusetts,  it  seemed  to  me  a 
new-found  Golgotha." 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  was  stated,  in  the  Great 
Patent  of  New  England,  granted  by  King  James,  on 
the  3d  of  November,  i$2O,  "We  have  been  further 
given  certainly  to  know,  that  within  these  late  years 
there  hath,  by  God's  visitation,  reigned  a  wonderful 
plague  amongst  the  savages  there  heretofore  inhabit- 
ing, in  a  manner  to  the  utter  destruction,  devastation 
and  depopulation  of  that  whole  territory,  so  as  there 
is  not  left,  for  many  leagues  together,  in  a  manner, 
any  that  do  claim  or  challenge  any  kind  of  interest 
therein.  Whereby  we,  in  our  judgment,  are  persuad- 
ed and  satisfied  that  the  appointed  time  is  come  in 
which  Almighty  God,  in  his  great  goodness  and 
bounty  towards  us  and  our  people,  hath  thought  fit 
and  determined,  that  these  large  and  goodly  terri- 
tories, deserted  as  it  were  by  their  natural  inhabitants, 
should  be  possessed  and  enjoyed  by  such  of  our  sub- 
jects and  people  as  shall,  by  his  mercy  and  favor,  and 
by  his  powerful  arm,  be  directed  and  conducted 
thither." 

All  the  afternoon  was  spent  in  earnest  communi- 
cation with  Samoset.  He  told  them  that  the  Nau- 
site's,  by  whom  they  had  been  attacked,  numbered 
about  one  hundred  souls.  There  was  a  powerful 
tribe,  called  the  Wampanoags,  upon  the  shores  of 


LIFE  ON   SHORE.  Ill 

what  is  now  called  Bristol  Bay.  Their  chief,  Mass  i- 
soit,  was  so  powerful  that  he  exercised  a  sort  of  su- 
premacy over  many  of  the  tribes  in  the  vicinity. 
There  was  another  numerous  tribe;  not  far  from  the 
Wampanoags,  called  the  Narragansets.  Samoset 
does  not  seem  to  have  known,  or  if  so,  was  not  willing 
to  tell  the  number  of  Indians  lurking  in  the  woods 
around  the  Pilgrim  settlement.  The  mystery  of  their 
conduct  was,  however,  in  some  degree  revealed,  when 
the  Pilgrims  were  informed  that  the  Indians,  with 
their  priests,  had  met  in  a  dark  swamp,  in  a  general 
pow-wow,  hoping  by  their  curses  and  incantations  to 
destroy  the  white  men. 

On  the  whole,  the  information  communicated  by 
Samoset  was  encouraging.  It  led  them  to  hope  that 
their  foes  were  not  so  numerous  as  they  feared,  that 
they  regarded,  with  superstitious  dread,  the  God  of 
the  white  man,  and  that  they  were  rather  disposed  to 
rely  upon  witchcraft  and  incantations,  in  their  warfare 
upon  the  new-comers,  than  upon  more  material  and 
dangerous  weapons.  Had  the  Indians  known  what 
ravages  death  was  making  in  the  huts  of  the  Pilgrims, 
they  would  have  felt  assured  that  their  magic  arts 
were  signally  successful. 

As  night  approached,  Captain  Standish  was  quite 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  his  suspicious  guest.  But  Sam- 
oset manifested  no  disposition  to  leave.  He  however 


112  MILES   STANDISH. 

consented  to  go  on  board  the  ship  to  pass  the  night. 
They  went  down  to  the  shallop.  But  the  wind  was 
so  high  that  it  was  not  deemed  prudent  to  encounter 
the  high  sea,  and  they  returned  to  Mr.  Stephen  Hop- 
kins' house,  where  Samoset  was  lodged,  and  carefully 
though  secretly  watched. 

The  next  day,  Saturday,  the  i/th,  early  in  the 
morning,  Samoset  withdrew,  to  go,  as  he  said,  to  visit 
the  great  sagamore,  Massasoit.  He  received  a  pres- 
ent of  a  knife,  a  bracelet  and  a  ring,  promising  to 
return  in  a  few  days,  bringing  with  him  some  of  Mas- 
sasoit's  people,  and  some  beaver  skins  to  sell. 

Sunday,  the  i8th,  was  another  mild  and  lovely 
day.  As  the  colonists  were  assembling  for  the  Sab- 
bath devotions,  Samoset  again  made  his  appearance, 
with  five  tall  Indians  in  his  train.  They  were  all 
dressed  in  deer  skins,  fitting  closely  to  the  body. 
The  most  of  them  had  also  a  panther's  skin,  or  some 
similar  furs  on  his  arm,  for  sale.  As  Captain  Stand- 
ish  did  not  deem  it  safe  to  allow  any  armed  savages 
to  enter  the  town,  he  made  a  previous  arrangement 
with  Samoset,  that  whoever  of  the  Indians  he  might 
bring  with  him,  should  leave  their  bows  and  arrows  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from  this  village.  This  ar- 
rangement was  faithfully  observed.  Samoset  also 
brought  back  the  tools,  which,  it  will  be  remembered, 
had  been  carried  away  by  the  Indians.  Mourt,  in 


LIFE   ON   SHORE. 

his  Relation,  describes,  in  the  following  language,  the 
appearance  of  these  strange  visitors  : 

"  They  had,  most  of  them,  long  hosen  (leggins) 
up  to  their  groins,  close  made  ;  and  above  their  groins 
to  the  waist,  another  leather.  They  were  altogether 
like  the  Irish  trousers.  They  are  of  complexion  like 
our  English  gipseys  ;  no  hair,  or  very  little,  on  their 
faces ;  on  their  heads,  long  hair  to  their  shoulders, 
only  cut  before ;  some  trussed  up  before  with  a 
feather,  broadwise  like  a  fan  ;  another  a  fox  tail  hang- 
ing out.  Some  of  them  had  their  faces  painted  black, 
from  the  forehead  to  the  chin,  four  or  five  fingers 
broad  ;  others  after  other  fashions,  as  they  liked." 

The  Pilgrims,  anxious  to  win  the  confidence  and 
friendship  of  the  natives,  received  these  savages  with 
the  utmost  kindness,  and  very  hospitably  entertained 
them.  They  seemed  to  relish  very  highly  the  food 
which  was  set  before  them,  and  manifested  their  sat- 
isfaction and  friendship  by  singing  hilariously,  and 
performing  the  most  grotesque  antics  in  a  dance.  It 
was  Sunday,  and  this  was  not  pleasing  to  these  devout 
exiles.  They  told  Samoset  that  they  could  not  enter 
into  any  traffic  on  that  day ;  but  that  if  he  and  his 
companions  would  withdraw  and  return  upon  the  mor- 
row, or  any  other  day  of  the  week,  they  would  pur- 
chase, not  only  all  the  furs  they  had  with  them,  but 
any  others  which  they  might  bring.  Each  one  was 


114  MILES   STANDISH. 

made  happy  with  a  present  of  some  article  which  to 
him  was  of  almost  priceless  value.  They  all  retired 
except  Samoset.  Pie  refused  to  go,  asserting,  and  as 
the  Pilgrims  thought,  feigning,  that  he  was  sick.  He 
therefore  remained  until  Wednesday.  Each  of  these 
men  carried  his  commissariat  stores  with  him,  con- 
sisting of  a  small  bag  of  the  meal  of  parched  corn. 
Mr.  Gookin,  in  an  article  in  the  Massachusetts  Histor- 
ical Collection,  writes : 

"The  Indians  make  a  certain  sort  of  meal  of 
parched  maize,  which  they  call  nokake.  It  is  so  sweet, 
toothsome  and  hearty  that  an  Indian  will  travel  many 
days  with  no  other  food  but  this  meal,  which  he  eat- 
eth  as  he  needs,  and  after  it  drinketh  water.  And 
for  this  end,  when  they  travel  a  journey  or  go  a  hunt- 
ing, they  carry  this  nokake  in  a  basket  or  bag,  for  their 
use." 

Roger  Williams  says,  "  Nokake,  or  parched  meal, 
is  a  ready,  very  wholesome  food,  which  they  eat  with 
a  little  water,  hot  or  cold.  I  have  travelled  with  near 
two  hundred  of  them  at  once,  near  a  hundred  miles 
through  the  woods,  every  man  carrying  a  little  basket 
of  this  at  his  back,  and  sometimes  in  a  hollow  leather 
girdle  about  his  middle,  sufficient  for  a  man  three  or 
four  days.  With  this  ready  provision  and  their  bows 
and  arrows,  they  are  ready  for  war  or  travel  at  an 
hour's  warning." 


LIFE   ON    SHORE.  11$ 

The  corn  was  usually  parched  in  hot  ashes,  and 
then,  after  having  the  ashes  carefully  brushed  off,  was 
beat  to  powder.  About  a  gill  of  this  mixed  with 
water,  taken  three  times  a  day,  gave  them  sufficient 
nourishment.  With  no  other  food  than  this,  a  man 
would  often  travel  through  the  woods  four  or  five  days, 
carrying  a  very  heavy  burden  upon  his  back. 

When  the  Mayflower  was  leaving  England,  a  man 
by  the  name  of  John  Billington,  uninvited,  with  two 
ungovernable  boys,  joined  the  company.  He  proved 
to  be  a  very  uncongenial  companion.  Governor 
Bradford,  writing  of  him,  said  :  "  This  Billington  was 
one  of  the  profanest  among  us.  He  came  from  Lon- 
don, and  I  know  not  by  what  friends,  was  shuffled 
into  our  company."  Again,  Governor  Bradford  wrote 
to  Mr.  Cushman,  in  June,  1625,  "  Billington  still  rails 
against  you,  and  threatens  to  arrest  you,  I  know  not 
wherefore.  He  is  a  knave,  and  so  will  live  and  die." 
In  "  Mourts'  Narrative,"  under  date  of  December  5th, 
he  writes : 

"  This  day,  through  God's  mercy,  we  escaped  a 
great  danger  by  the  foolishness  of  a  boy,  one  of  Bil- 
lington's  sons,  who,  in  his  father's  absence,  had  got 
gunpowder,  and  had  shot  off  a  piece  or  two  and  made 
squibs ;  and  there  being  a  fowling-piece  charged  in 
his  father's  cabin,  shot  her  off  in  the  cabin."  There 
was  half  a  keg  of  powder  in  the  cabin,  with  many 


Il6  MILES   STANDISH. 

grains  scattered  over  the  floor ;  also  flints  and  pieces 
of  iron  strowed  about.  It  was  a  very  narrow  escape 
from  an  explosion  which  might  have  blown  the  May- 
flower, with  all  its  occupants,  into  the  air.  This  John 
Billington,  "  a  mischievous  and  troublesome  fellow," 
was  dissatisfied  with  the  authority  with  which  Captain 
Standish  was  invested.  He  endeavored  to  under- 
mine his  influence  by  assailing  him  with  insulting  and 
opprobrious  language.  This  was  a  very  serious  of- 
fense, since,  in  their  perilous  position,  it  was  a  matter 
of  infinite  moment  that  the  orders  of  their  military 
commander  should  be  implicitly  obeyed.  The  whole 
company  was  convened  to  try  the  culprit  and  pass 
sentence  upon  him.  "  He  was  adjudged  to  have  his 
neck  and  heels  tied  together.  But  upon  humbling 
himself  and  craving  pardon,  and  it  being  the  first  of- 
fense, he  was  forgiven." 


CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Indians. 

Two  Savages  on  the  Hill. — The  Return  of  Samoset  with  Squantum. — 
The  Story  of  Squantum. — The  Visit  of  Massasoit  and  His  War- 
riors.— Etiquette  of  the  Barbarian  and  Pilgrim  Courts. — The 
Treaty. — Return  of  the  Mayflower  to  England. — A  View  of  Ply- 
mouth.— Brighter  Days. — Visit  of  Messrs.  Winslow  and  Hop- 
kins to  the  Seat  of  Massasoit. — Incidents  of  the  Journey. 

Several  days  passed,  and  the  Indians,  who  had 
retired  into  the  forest,  did  not  return.  The  cottages 
of  the  Pilgrims,  each  man  building  his  own,  had  now 
v  become  habitable,  and  Monday  and  Tuesday,  the 
weather  being  fair,  they  were  busy  digging  the  ground 
and  sowing  their  garden  seeds.  On  Wednesday  morn- 
ing, the  2  ist  of  March,  Samoset  was  sent  into  the 
woods  to  ascertain  why  the  Indians  did  not  come  back 
according  to  their  promise.  He  had  but  just  disap- 
peared in  the  forest  when  two  savages,  in  war  cos- 
tume and  thoroughly  armed,  appeared  upon  the  hill, 
on  the  other  side  of  Town  Brook — the  same  eminence 
upon  which  the  two  Indians  had  appeared  on  the  i  /th 
of  February — and  brandishing  their  weapons,  with 
every  demonstration  of  hostility,  seemed  to  bid  the 


Il8  MILES   STANDISH. 

new-comers  defiance.  This  was  probably  one  of  the 
acts  in  their  drama  of  incantation. 

Captain  Standish,  who  was  ever  prompt  to  assume 
any  office  of  danger,  took  a  companion  with  him  and 
advanced  to  meet  the  challengers.  They  both  took 
their  muskets,  but  carefully  avoided  any  attitude  of 
menace.  Two  other  Pilgrims  followed,  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, also  with  their  muskets,  to  render  aid  should 
there  be  any  rush  of  the  Indians  from  an  ambush. 
But  before  Captain  Standish  had  arrived  within  arrow- 
shot  of  the  natives  they  both  turned,  as  before,  and 
fled. 

In  consequence  of  sickness  and  the  imperfect  ac- 
commodations on  the  shore,  several  of  the  Pilgrim 
company  had  thus  far  remained  on  board  the  May- 
flower. To-day,  however,  the  shallop  brought  them 
all  to  the  land,  and  their  colonizing  became  complete. 
One-half  of  the  crew  of  the  ship  had  already  died  ; 
and  so  many  of  the  remainder  were  enfeebled  by  sick- 
ness that  Captain  Jones  did  not  deem  it  safe  to  un- 
dertake his  return  voyage  in  so  crippled  a  condition. 
A  month  passed  before  the  sick  and  his  diminished 
crew  were  so  far  recovered  as  to  allow  him  to  venture 
to  set  sail. 

The  sun  of  Thursday  morning,  with  healing  in  its 
beams,  rose  bright  and  warm  over  the  busy  little  vil- 
lage of  the  exiles.  The  dreary  winter  had  manifestly 


THE  INDIANS.  Iig 

passed.  The  sick  were  generally  recovering,  and 
there  was  presented  a  very  cheering  scene  of  peace, 
industry  and  happiness.  At  noon  all  the  men  had 
met  upon  some  public  business,  when,  in  the  midst 
of  their  deliberations,  they  saw  Samoset  returning,  ac- 
companied by  three  other  Indians.  The  name  of  one 
was  Squantum,  and  it  was  said  that  he  was  the  only 
surviving  member  of  the  Patuxat  tribe,  who  had  for- 
merly occupied  the  territory  upon  which  the  Pilgrims 
had  now  settled. 

His  story,  undoubtedly  truthful,  was  that  he  was 
one  of  the  men  whom  Captain  Hunt  had  so  infamously 
kidnapped.  He  had  been  carried  to  Spain  and  sold 
there  as  a  slave.  A  humane  Englishman,  whose  name 
we  love  to  perpetuate,  Mr.  John  Slaney,  chanced  to 
meet  the  poor  fugitive.  He  liberated  him,  took  him 
to  England,  and  treated  him  with  that  truly  fraternal 
kindness  which  Christianity  enjoins  upon  all  men. 
At  length  he  had  an  opportunity  to  send  Squantum 
back  to  his  native  land. 

Good  deeds  and  bad  deeds  ever  bear  their  corre- 
sponding fruit.  As  the  treachery  of  the  miserable 
Hunt  caused  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  the  massa- 
cre of  the  shipwrecked  Frenchmen,  and  the  attack  at 
the  First  Encounter,  so  did  the  brotherly  kindness  of 
good  John  Slaney  secure  for  the  Pilgrims,  in  theii 
Hour  of  need,  a  permanent  and  influential  friend. 


T2O  MILES   STANDISH. 

Squantum,  forgetting  the  outrage  of  the  knave  who 
had  kidnapped  him,  remembered  only  the  kindness 
of  his  benefactor.  His  residence  in  England  had 
rendered  him  quite  familiar  with  the  English  language, 
and  he  became  invaluable  to  the  Pilgrims  as  an  inter- 
preter. He  attached  himself  cordially  to  them,  and 
taught  them  many  things  of  great  value  in  their  new 
life  in  the  wilderness.  And  when,  after  many  years, 
he  died,  the  good  old  man  was  heard  praying  that 
God  would  take  him  to  the  heaven  of  the  white  men. 

Squantum  had  joined  the  powerful  tribe  of  the 
Wampanoags,  his  own  tribe  having  become  extinct. 
These  Indians  brought  with  them  a  few  skins  to  sell, 
and  some  dried  red  herrings ;  and  they  also  an- 
nounced the  rather  startling  intelligence  that  their 
great  Sagamore,  or  King  Massasoit,  accompanied  by 
his  brother  Quadequina  and  a  retinue  of  sixty  war- 
riors, was  near  at  hand  to  pay  the  Pilgrims  a  friendly 
visit. 

After  the  lapse  of  an  hour  Massasoit  appeared 
on  the  top  of  Watson's  Hill  with  his  plumed  warriors. 
From  that  eminence,  distant  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  they  had  a  perfect  view  of  the  little  village,  and 
were  conspicuously  exposed  to  the  view  of  the  Pil- 
grims. Under  the  circumstances,  knowing  not  what 
might  be  the  treachery  of  the  Indians,  Captain  Stand- 
ish  did  not  deem  it  safe  to  allow  so  powerful  a  band 


THE   INDIANS.  121 

of  armed  savages  to  enter  the  village,  or  to  allow  any 
considerable  band  of  his  weak  force  to  withdraw  from 
behind  the  intrenchments  which  they  had  reared,  and 
to  go  out  to  meet  the  royal  retinue.  Neither  did 
Massasoit  deem  it  prudent  to  place  himself  in  the 
power  of  the  white  men,  whom  the  treachery  of  Hunt 
had  caused  him  to  dread. 

After  several  messages  had  passed  to  and  fro 
between  the  two  parties,  through  Squantum,  their  in- 
terpreter, Massasoit,  who,  though  unlettered,  proved 
himself  to  be  a  man  of  much  sagacity,  proposed  that 
the  Pilgrims  should  send  one  of  their  men  to  his  en- 
campment to  communicate  to  him  their  designs  in 
settling  upon  ands  which  had  belonged  to  one  of  his 
vassal  tribes.  Mr.  Edward  Winslow  consented  to  go 
upon  this  important  and  somewhat  hazardous  mis- 
sion. He  took,  as  a  present  to  the  barbarian  mon- 
arch, two  skins  and  a  copper  necklace,  with  a  jewel 
attached  to  it.  He  also  took  to  Quadequina  a  knife, 
an  ear-ring,  consisting  of  a  pendent  jewel,  some  bis- 
cuit and  butter,  and,  we  are  sorry  to  add,  a  jug  of 
rum ;  but  those  were  the  days  cf  ignorance  which 
God  winked  at. 

Mr.  Winslow,  accompanie  •   b     Squantum,  as  his 

interpreter,   crossed  the  brook,   ascended   Watson's 

Hill,  and  presented  himself  before  the  Indian  chief. 

r<  Our  messenger,"  writes   Mourt,   "  made  a  speech 

6 


122  MILES   STAND1SH. 

unto  him,  that  King  James  saluted  him  with  words 
of  love  and  peace,  and  did  accept  him  as  his  friend 
and  ally ;  and  that  our  Governor  desired  to  see  him, 
and  to  truck  with  him,  and  to  confirm  a  peace  with 
him,  as  his  next  neighbor." 

Massasoit  listened  attentively  to  the  speech,  as 
communicated  to  him  by  the  interpreter,  and  seemed 
much  pleased  with  it.  In  token  of  amity,  they  had  a 
little  feast  together.  Massasoit  seemed  much  im- 
pressed with  the  long  and  glittering  sword  which 
hung  by  the  side  of  Mr.  Winslow,  and  expressed  a 
strong  desire  to  purchase  it ;  but  Mr.  Winslow  could 
not  consent  to  part  with  the  weapon.  . 

After  a  pleasant  and  very  friendly  interview,  Mas- 
sasoit, cautiously  leaving  Mr.  Winslow  as  a  hostage 
in  the  custody  of  his  brother  Quadequina,  came  down 
to  the  brook  with  twenty  men,  as  his  retinue,  all  un- 
armed. Six  of  them  were  sent  into  the  village,  as 
hostages  in  exchange  for  Mr.  Winslow. 

Then  Captain  Standish,  with  one  companion,  prob- 
ably Mr.  Thomas  Williams,  and  followed  by  half  a 
dozen  musketeers,  advanced  to  the  brook  to  meet  the 
royal  guest  and  to  escort  him,  with  all  due  honor,  to 
the  presence  of  their  Governor.  A  salute  of  six  mus- 
kets was  fired,  and  the  monarch  with  his  Indian  band 
was  led  to  an  unfinished  house  which  had  been  has- 
tily decorated  for  their  reception.  It  was  deemed 


THE  INDIANS.  123 

important  to  arrange  something  of  an  imposing  pa- 
geant to  impress  the  minds  of  their  barbarian  visitors. 
Two  or  three  cushions  were  laid  down,  covered  with 
a  green  carpet,  as  seats  for  the  Indian  chief  and  for 
the  Governor  in  this  important  interview.  As  soon 
as  Massasoit  was  seated  the  music  of  drums  and  of 
a  trumpet  was  heard,  and  Governor  Carver,  with  a 
suitable  retinue,  entered.  Gracefully  he  took  the 
hand  of  Massasoit  and  kissed  it.  In  accordance 
with  the  mistaken  views  of  hospitality  in  those  days, 
ardent  spirits  were  brought  forward  to  regale  the 
guests.  This  was  probably  the  first  time  Massasoit 
had  ever  seen  the  accursed  liquid,  and  he  was  entire- 
ly unacquainted  with  its  fiery  nature.  The  Indian 
chieftain,  deeming  it  a  part  of  politeness  to  partake 
generously  of  the  entertainment  provided  for  him, 
when  the  goblet  was  presented,  "  drunk  a  great  draft 
which  made  him  sweat  all  the  while  after." 

Massasoit  was  a  remarkable  man.  He  was  of 
majestic  stature,  in  the  prime  of  life,  of  grave  and 
stately  demeanor,  reserved  in  speech,  and  ever  prov- 
ing faithful  to  all  his  obligations.  He  wore  a  chain 
of  white  bone  beads  about  his  neck,  and  a  little  bag 
of  tobacco,  from  which  he  smoked  himself  and  pre- 
sented to  Governor  Carver  to  smoke.  His  face  was 
painted  of  a  deep  red  color,  and  his  hair  and  face  so 
oiled  as  to  present  a  very  glossy  appearance.  Hi- 


124  MILES   STANDISH. 

followers  were  also  all  painted,  in  various  styles  and 
of  various  colors.  Some  were  partially  clothed  in 
skins,  others  were  nearly  naked.  They  were  all  tall, 
powerful  men.  After  much  friendly  deliberation,  the 
Governor  and  Massasoit  entered  into  the  following 
very  simple,  but  comprehensive  treaty  of  peace  and 
alliance : 

1.  The  Sagamore  pledged  himself  that  none  of  his 
men  should  do  any  harm  to  the  Pilgrims  ;  and  that,  if 
any  harm  were  done,  the  offender  should  be  sent  to 
them  that  they  might  punish  them. 

2.  That,  if  any  property  belonging  to  the  white 
men  should  be  taken  away,  it  should  be  restored, 
Governor  Carver  agreeing  to  the  same  in  reference 
to  his  party. 

3.  The  Governor  agreed  that  if  any  Indian  tribe 
should   wage   an   unjust  war  against  Massasoit,  he 
would  help  him  ;  Massasoit  agreeing  in  the  same  way 
to  aid  the  Pilgrims,  should  they  be  assailed. 

4.  Massasoit  pledged  himself  to  send  word  to  all 
his  confederate  tribes  that  he  had  entered  into  this 
alliance  with  the  white  men,  and  to  enjoin  its  faithful 
observance  upon  them. 

5.  Finally,  it  was  agreed  that  whenever  any  of  the 
Indians  visited  the  settlement  of  the  white  men,  they 
should  leave  their  arms  behind  them.      The  Pilgrims 
were  also  bound  always  to  go  unarmed  whenever  they 
should  visit  the  residence  of  the  Indian  chief. 


THE   INDIANS.  12$ 

As  evening  approached,  Massasoit  and  his  follow- 
ers withdrew.  The  Governor  accompanied  him  to 
the  brook,  where  they  embraced  and  separated.  The 
six  Indian  hostages  were  retained  until  Mr.  Winslow 
should  be  returned.  But  soon  word  was  brought  that 
Quadequina  wished  to  make  them  a  short  visit.  He 
soon  appeared,  with  quite  a  troop  around  him.  He 
was  a  young  man,  tall,  modest  and  gentlemanly.  He 
was  also  conducted,  with  music  of  drum  and  fife,  to 
the  Governor.  He  seemed  very  much  afraid  of  the 
muskets  ;  and  to  calm  his  manifest  fears  they  were 
laid  aside.  After  a  short  interview  he  returned  to 
the  hill,  and  Mr.  Winslow  came  back  to  the  camp. 
The  Indian  hostages  were  also  then  released.  The 
scenes  of  the  day  had  inspired  them  with  so  much 
confidence  in  the  Pilgrims  that  two  of  them  wished 
to  remain  all  night.  But  Captain  Standish  did  not 
deem  it  prudent  to  grant  their  request. 

Samoset  and  Squantum  remained  with  the  Pil- 
grims. Massasoit  withdrew  his  party  from  the  hill, 
about  half  a  mile  south  into  the  forest,  and  there  they 
encamped  for  the  night.  Their  wives  and  children 
were  with  them  there.  During  the  night  both  parties 
kept  up  a  vigilant  watch,  for  neither  had,  as  yet,  full 
confidence  in  the  other.  In  the  morning  several  of 
the  Indians  came  into  the  settlement,  according  to 
their  agreement,  unarmed.  They  said  that  in  a  few 


126  MILES   STANDISIL 

days  they  should  come  to  the  other  side  of  the  brook 
and  plant  corn,  and  remain  there  with  their  families 
all  summer.  The  king  sent  an  invitation  to  have  some 
of  the  Pilgrims  visit  him. 

"  Captain  Standish  and  Israel  Alderton,"  writes 
Mourt,  "  went  venturously,  who  were  welcomed  of 
him  after  their  manner.  He  gave  them  three  or  four 
ground  nuts  and  some  tobacco.  We  cannot  yet  con- 
ceive but  that  he  is  willing  to  have  peace  with  us ; 
for  they  have  seen  our  people  sometimes  alone,  two 
or  three  in  the  woods,  at  work  and  fowling,  when 
they  offered  them  no  harm,  as  they  might  easily  have 
done,  and  especially  as  he  has  a  potent  adversary  in 
the  Narragansets,  that  are  at  war  with  him,  against 
whom  he  thinks  we  may  be  some  strength  to  him,  for 
our  pieces  are  terrible  unto  them." 

The  English  visitors  remained  in  the  encampment 
of  Massasoit  until  about  eleven  o'clock.  Governor 
Carver  sent  by  them  to  the  chief  a  kettleful  of  peas, 
which  the  Indians  seemed  to  regard  as  truly  a  prince- 
ly gift.  The  next  day,  Friday,  it  was  again  pleasant. 
Squantum,  who  with  Samoset,  still  remained  with  the 
Pilgrims,  went  to  a  neighboring  creek,  since  appro- 
priately called  Eel  River,  and  at  night  came  home 
with  as  many  eels  as  he  could  carry.  "  They  were 
fat  and  sweet.  He  trod  them  out  with  his  feet,  and 
so  caught  them  with  his  hands,  without  any  other  in- 


THE  INDIANS.  I2/ 

strument."  In  a  comparatively  recent  history  of  Ply- 
mouth, it  is  stated  that  a  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  of 
eels  are  annually  taken  from  that  creek.  The  Pil- 
grims on  that  day  held  a  general  meeting,  to  conclude 
some  military  arrangements,  to  enact  certain  needful 
laws,  and  to  choose  a  Governor  for  the  year.  The 
choice  fell,  with  apparently  great  unanimity,  upon  the 
then  incumbent,  Mr.  John  Carver. 

In  Young's  Chronicle  of  the  Pilgrims  we  find  a 
note  containing  the  following  statement :  "  It  will  be 
recollected  that  Carver  had  been  chosen  Governor  on 
the  nth  of  November,  the  same  day  on  which  the 
Compact  was  signed.  It  was  now  the  23d  of  March, 
and  the  new  year  commencing  on  the  25th,  according 
to  the  calendar  then  in  use,  Carver  was  re-elected  for  - 
the.  ensuing  year." 

Pleasant  summer  days  now  came,  and  glided  rap- 
idly away,  with  nothing  occurring  of  essential  import- 
ance. Friendly  relations  were  established  with  the 
Indians,  and  the  affairs  of  the  colony  seemed  as  pros- 
perous as,  under  the  circumstances,  could  be  expected. 
On  the  $th  of  April  the  Mayflower  weighed  anchor 
and  set  sail  on  her  return  voyage  to  England.  She 
had  but  one-half  of  the  crew  with  which  she  had 
sailed  from  Old  Plymouth.  The  rest  had  fallen  vic- 
tims to  the  winter's  sickness.  It  is  remarkable  that, 
notwithstanding  the  hardships  to  which  the  Pilgrims 


128  MILES   STANDISH. 

were  exposed,  not  one  was  disposed  to  abandon  the 
enterprise  and  return  in  the  ship.  When  the  May- 
flower left,  there  remained  in  the  colony  but  fifty-five 
persons.  Of  these,  nineteen  only  were  men.  The  • 
remaining  thirty- six  were  women,  children  and  ser- 
vants. 

Scarcely  had  the  ship  disappeared  over  the  distant 
horizon,  ere  Governor  Carver,  "  oppressed  by  his  great 
care  and  pains  for  the  common  good,"  on  one  hot 
April  noon  returned  from  the  field,  complaining  of  a 
severe  pain  in  his  head,  probably  caused  by  a  sun- 
stroke. He  soon  became  delirious,  and,  in  a  few  days, 
died.  It  was  a  severe  loss  to  the  colony,  and  they 
mourned  over  him  with  great  lamentation  and  heavi- 
ness. He  was  buried  with  all  the  imposing  ceremonies 
of  sorrow  which  the  feeble  colony  could  arrange.  His 
wife,  overwhelmed  with  grief  in  view  of  her  terrible 
loss,  in  a  few  weeks  followed  her  husband  to  the  grave. 
Soon  after,  Mr.  William  Bradford,  who  was  then  in  a 
state  of  great  debility  from  his  recent  sickness,  was 
chosen  his  successor. 

The  settlers,  having  no  animals  to  draw  the  plough, 
were  laboriously  opening  the  ground  near  their  dwell- 
ings with  the  spade.  Six  acres  they  sowed  with  bar- 
ley and  peas.  Fortunately  they  had  ten  bushels  of 
corn  for  seed.  With  this  they  planted  twenty  acres, 
Squantum  showing  them  how  to  plant  and  hill  it 


THE   INDIANS.  1 29 

Berries  were  found  in  abundance  in  the  woods,  as  the 
season  advanced,  and  a  very  grateful  supply  of  grapes. 

Mr.  Palfrey,  in  his  admirable  History  of  New  Eng- 
land, writes  very  pleasantly,  "  A  visitor  to  Plymouth 
during  this  summer,  as  he  landed,  on  the  southern 
side  of  a  high  bluff,  would  have  seen,  standing  between 
it  and  a  rapid  little  stream,  a  rude  house  of  logs, 
twenty  feet  square,  containing  the  common  property 
of  the  plantation.  Proceeding  up  a  gentle  declivity, 
between  two  rows  of  log  cabins,  nineteen  in  number, 
some  of  them,  perhaps,  vacant  since  the  death  of 
their  first  tenants,  he  would  have  come  to  a  hill  sur- 
mounted with  a  platform  for  cannon.  He  might  have 
counted  twenty  men  at  work  with  hoes,  in  the  en- 
closures about  the  huts,  or  fishing  in  the  shallow  har- 
bor, or  visiting  the  woods  or  beach  for  game ;  while 
six  or  eight  women  were  busy  in  household  affairs, 
and  some  twenty  children,  from  infancy  upwards, 
completed  the  domestic  picture." 

All  fears  of  famine  seem  now  to  have  passed  away. 
In  addition  to  the  stores  which  they  brought  with  them 
they  had  an  abundant  supply  of  fish,  wild  fowls  and 
native  fruits.  On  the  i8th  of  June  two  of  the  ser- 
vants of  Mr.  Hopkins  undertook  to  fight  a  duel  with 
sword  and  dagger.  Both  were  wounded.  The  Pil- 
grims met  in  a  body  to  adjudge  the  penalty  for  so  se- 
rious an  offense.  They  were  sentenced  to  be  tied 
6* 


130  MILES   STANDISII. 

together,  by  their  head  and  feet,  and  thus  to  lie 
twenty-four  hours,  without  meat  or  drink.  The  pun- 
ishment was  begun  to  be  inflicted,  "  But  within  an 
hour,  because  of  their  great  pains,  at  their  own  and 
their  master's  humble  request,'  upon  promise  of  bet- 
ter carriage,  they  are  released  by  the  Governor." 

Early  in  July,  Governor  Bradford  decided  to  send 
a  deputation  to  visit  Massasoit.  There  were  several 
objects  he  wished  to  accomplish  by  this  mission. 
First,  it  was  desirable  to  ascertain  where  he  lived  and 
what  his  strength  was.  He  also  wished  to  honor  Mas- 
sasoit by  paying  him  a  friendly  visit.  Another  con- 
sideration of  no  little  importance  which  influenced 
him  was,  that  vagabond  Indians  were  increasingly  in 
the  habit  of  coming  with  their  wives  and  children, 
loitering  about  the  village  to  the  great  annoyance  of 
the  settlers,  and  clamoring  for  food,  which  they  de- 
voured with  the  voracity  of  famished  wolves, 

Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr.  Hopkins,  accompanied  by 
Squantum  as  their  interpreter,  were  appointed  for  this 
important  mission.  Mr.  Winslow  has  transmitted  to 
us  a  minute  account  of  the  interesting  adventure. 
They  left  the  village,  probably  on  Tuesday  morning, 
July  3d,  bearing  the  following  message  to  Massasoit, 
with  the  present  of  a  brilliant  horseman's  coat,  of  red 
cotton,  gaudily  laced. 

"  Inasmuch  as  your  subjects  come  often  and  with- 


THE    INDIANS.  131 

out  fear,  upon  all  occasions  amongst  us,  so  we  are  now 
come  unto  you.  In  witness  of  the  love  and  good  will 
the  English  bear  you,  our  Governor  has  sent  you  a 
coat,  desiring  that  the  peace  and  amity  between  us 
may  be  continued  ;  not  that  we  fear  you,  but  because 
we  intend  not  to  injure  any  one,  desiring  to  live  peace- 
ably, as  with  all  men,  so  especially  with  you  our  nearest 
neighbors. 

"  But  whereas  your  people  come  very  often,  and 
very  many  together,  unto  us,  bringing  for  the  most 
part  their  wives  and  children  with  them,  they  are  wel- 
come. Yet  we  being  but  strangers,  as  yet,  at  Patux- 
et,  T)r  New  Plymouth,  and  not  knowing  how  our  corn 
may  prosper,  can  no  longer  give  them  such  entertain- 
ment as  we  have  done,  and  as  we  desire  still  to  do. 
Yet  if  you  will  be  pleased  to  come  yourself,  or  any 
special  friend  of  yours  desires  to  see  us,  coming  from 
you,  they  shall  be  welcome. 

"And  to  the  end  that  we  may  know  them  from 
others,  our  Governor  has  sent  you  a  copper  chain, 
desiring  that  if  any  messenger  should  come  from  you 
to  us,  we  may  know  him  by  his  bringing  it  with  him, 
and  may  give  credit  to  his  message  accordingly." 

They  then  added  the  following,  which  we  record 
with  pleasure,  as  showing  the  conscientiousness  of 
these  remarkable  men  : 

"At  our  first  arrival  at  Paomet,  called  by  us  Cape 


132  MILES   STANDISH. 

Cod,  we  found  there  corn  buried  in  the  ground,  and 
finding  no  inhabitants,  but  some  graves  of  the  dead 
newly  buried,  took  the  corn,  resolving  that  if  ever  we 
could  hear  of  any  that  had  right  thereunto,  to  make 
satisfaction  to  the  full  for  it.  Yet  since  we  under- 
stand the  owners  thereof  had  fled,  for  fear  of  us,  our 
desire  is  either  to  pay  them  with  the  like  quantity  of 
corn,  or  with  English  meal,  or  any  other  commodities 
we  have,  which  they  may  desire.  We  request  that 
some  of  your  men  may  signify  so  much  unto  them, 
and  we  will  content  him  for  his  pains. 

"  Last  of  all,  our  Governor  requested  one  favor  of 
him,  which  was  that  he  would  exchange  some  of  their 
corn  for  seed,  with  us,  that  we  might  make  trial  which 
was  best  agreed  with  the  soil  where  we  live." 

It  was  a  warm  and  sunny  day  when  the  two  Pil- 
grims, with  their  Indian  guide,  set  out  on  their  ad- 
venturous journey  through  the  forest.  The  Indians, 
in  their  movements  from  place  to  place,  however  nu- 
merous the  party,  always  went,  with  moccasined  feet,  in 
single  file,  one  following  after  the  other.  The  forests 
were  threaded  with  many  of  these  narrow  paths,  or 
trails,  which  had  thus  been  trodden  by  them  through 
countless  generations.  These  paths  were  as  well 
known  by  them,  and  almost  as  distinctly  marked,  as 
the  paved  roads  of  the  Old  World  which  had  resound- 
ed with  the  tramp  of  the  Roman  legions.  Indian  in- 


THE   INDIANS.  133 

stinct  had,  ages  ago,  selected  these  routes,  often 
through  glooms  which  no  rays  of  the  sun  ever  pene- 
trated, and  again  through  scenes  of  marvellous  pic- 
turesque beauty,  beneath  frowning  mountains,  along 
the  margin  of  crystal  lakes,  and  upon  the  banks  of 
sparkling  rivulets. 

Much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  two  Pilgrims  ap- 
pointed upon  this  mission  a  party  of  ten  or  twelve 
lazy  Indians,  men,  women  and  children,  uninvited, 
persistently  tagged  after  them,  often  very  vexatiously 
intrusive,  and  ever  clamorous  to  share  their  food. 

The  first  day  they  travelled  about  fifteen  miles,  to 
an  Indian  village  called  Namasket.  It  was  situated 
upon  a  branch  of  what  is  now  called  the  Taunton 
River,  within  the  limits  of  the  present  town  of  Mid- 
dleborough. 

"  Thither  we  came,"  writes  Mr.  Winslow,  "  about 
three  o'clock  after  noon ;  the  inhabitants  entertaining 
us  with  joy,  in  the  best  manner  they  could,  giving  us 
a  kind  of  bread  called  by  them  maizium,  *  and  the 
spawn  of  shads,  which  they  then  got  in  abundance, 
insomuch  that  they  gave  us  spoons  to  eat  them.  With 
these  they  boiled  musty  acorns ;  but  of  the  shads  we 
ate  heartily." 

These  Indians  had  probably  all  heard  of  the  won- 

*  Made  ot  maize  or  Indian  com. 


134  MILES   STANDISH. 

derful  power  of  the  muskets  of  the  white  men,  though, 
perhaps,  none  of  them  had  ever  seen  the  effects  ac- 
complished by  powder  and  ball.  The  crows  troubled 
their  corn  fields,  and  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the 
Indians  to  get  near  enough  to  these  wary  animals  to 
hit  them  with  the  arrow.  They  begged  their  guests 
to  show  them  the  power  of  their  guns  by  shooting 
some  of  these  crows.  There  was  one  upon  a  tree  at 
the  distance  of  about  two  hundred  and  forty  feet. 
With  intense  interest  the  Indians  watched  as  they 
saw  one  of  the  Pilgrims  take  deliberate  aim  at  the 
bird,  and  when  they  heard  the  report,  and  saw  the 
bird  fall  dead,  struck  by  an  invisible  shaft,  their  aston- 
ishment passed  all  bounds.  Several  crows  were  thus 
shot,  exciting  the  admiration  and  awe  of  all  the  savage 
beholders. 

As  Squantum  told  the  Pilgrims  that  it  was  more 
than  a  day's  journey  from  Namasket  to  Pokanoket,  or 
Mount  Hope,  where  Massasoit  resided,  and  that 
there  was  a  good  place  to  pass  the  night  about  eight 
miles  further  on  their  way,  they  decided  to  resume 
their  journey.  About  sunset  they  reached  a  small 
group  of  Indians  at  a  place  now  called  Titicut,  on 
Taunton  River,  in  the  northwest  part  of  Middle- 
borough,  adjoining  Bridge  water. 

Here  quite  an  attractive  region  presented  itself  to 
their  eyes.  The  land  on  both  sides  of  the  river  had 


THE   INDIANS.  135 

long  been  cleared,  being  entirely  free  from  trees  or 
stumps,  and  had  evidently  waved  with  cornfields. 
There  were  many  indications  that  the  place  had  for- 
merly been  quite  thickly  inhabited.  The  plague,  of 
which  we  have  spoken,  it  is  said,  had  swept  every  in- 
dividual into  the  grave.  A  few  wandering  outcast 
Indians  had  come  to  this  depopulated  region  to  take 
fish.  By  means  of  a  wear  in  the  river,  which  con- 
sisted of  a  sort  of  net  or  fence,  constructed  of 
branches  of  trees  and  twigs,  they  caught  an  abun- 
dance of  bass.  They  had  not  erected  any  shelter  for 
themselves,  but  were  sleeping,  like  the  cattle,  in  the 
open  air.  These  wretched  savages  had  no  food  but 
fish  and  roasted  acorns.  Very  greedily  they  partook 
of  the  stores  which  the  Pilgrims  brought  with  them. 
Liberally  they  were  fed,  "  we  not  doubting,"  writes 
Mr.  Winslow,  "  but  that  we  should  have  enough  wher- 
e'er we  came." 

The  Pilgrims  lodged  that  night  in  the  open  fields. 
The  next  morning,  at  an  early  hour,  after  such  frugal 
breakfast  as  the  occasion  could  furnish,  they  set  out 
again  upon  their  journey.  Six  savages  followed  them. 
Having  travelled  about  six  miles,  following  down  the 
banks  of  the  river,  they  came  to  a  shoal  place,  where 
the  stream  could  be  forded.  This  was  undoubtedly 
at  a  spot  now  called  Squabetty,  three  and  a  half  miles 
from  Taunton  Green. 


136  MILES   STANDISH. 

"  Here,"  writes  Mr.  Winslow,  "  let  me  not  forget 
the  valor  and  courage  of  some  of  the  savages  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river ;  for  there  were  remaining 
alive  only  two  men,  both  aged,  especially  the  one  be- 
ing about  threescore.  These  two,  espying  a  com- 
pany of  men  entering  the  river,  ran  very  swiftly,  and 
low  in  the  grass,  to  meet  us  at  the  bank,  where,  with 
shrill  voices  and  great  courage,  standing,  they  charged 
upon  us  with  their  bows,  demanding  who  we  were, 
supposing  us  to  be  enemies,  and  thinking  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  us  in  the  water.  But  seeing  we  were 
friends,  they  welcomed  us  with  such  food  as  they  had, 
and  we  bestowed  a  small  bracelet  of  beads  upon  them." 

Here,  after  refreshing  themselves,  they  continued 
their  journey  down  the  western  banks  of  the  river. 
It  was  a  very  sultry  July  day,  but  the  country  was 
beautiful,  and  abundantly  watered  with  innumerable 
small  streams,  and  cool,  bubbling  springs.  The  sav- 
ages would  never  drink  of  the  flowing  brooks,  but 
only  at  the  spring  heads.  Very  pleasantly  Mr.  Wins- 
low  writes  in  reference  to  the  amiability  and  obliging 
disposition  of  these  savages : 

"  When  we  came  to  any  brook  where  no  bridge 
was,  two  of  them  desired  to  carry  us  through,  of  their 
own  accord.  Also,  fearing  that  we  were  or  would  be 
weary,  they  offered  to  carry  our  pieces.  If  we  would 
lay  off  any  of  our  clothes,  we  should  have  them  car- 


THE   INDIANS.  137 

ried.  And  as  the  one  of  them  had  found  more  special 
kindness  from  one  of  the  messengers,  and  the  other 
savage  from  the  other,  so  they  showed  their  thankful- 
ness accordingly,  in  affording  us  all  help  and  further- 
ance in  the  journey." 

It  was  very  manifest  to  the  travellers,  as  we  have 
said,  that  they  were  passing  through  a  country  which 
once  had  been  crowded  with  a  population  which  but 
recently  had  been  swept  away.  There  were  widely 
extended  fields,  which  had  formerly  been  planted  with 
corn,  where  there  was  then  to  be  seen  but  a  rank 
growth  of  weeds,  higher  than  a  man's  head.  The  re- 
gion was  pleasantly  diversified  with  hills  and  plains, 
often  presenting  extended  forests  of  the  most  valuable 
timber.  It  was  a  very  noticeable  and  beautiful  feature 
in  these  forests,  that  they  were  entirely  free  of  under- 
brush, presenting  the  aspect  of  the  most  carefully- 
trimmed  English  park.  Mr.  Wood,  who  visited  this 
region  in  year  1633,  writes  : 

"  Whereas  it  is  generally  conceived  that  the  woods 
grow  so  thick  that  there  is  no  more  clear  ground  than 
is  hewed  out  by  labor  of  men,  it  is  nothing  so  ;  in  many 
places  divers  acres  being  clear,  so  that  one  may  ride 
a  hunting  in  most  places  of  the  land.  There  is  no 
underwood,  saving  in  swamps  and  low  grounds ;  for, 
it  being  the  custom  of  the  Indians  to  burn  the  woods 
in  November,  when  the  grass  is  withered  and  leaves 


138  MILES   STANDISH. 

dried,  consumes  all  the  underwood  and  rubbish,  which 
otherwise  would  overgrow  the  country,  making  it  im- 
passable, and  spoil  their  much-affected  hunting.  So 
that  in  these  places  there  is  scarce  a  bush  or  bramble 
or  any  cumbersome  underwood  to  be  seen  in  the 
more  champaign  ground." 

Hour  after  hour  they  journeyed  on  through  these 
lonely  fields,  without  meeting  an  individual.  At 
length  one  solitary  Indian  was  espied  in  the  distance. 
The  Indians,  who  accompanied  the  Pilgrims,  seemed 
much  alarmed,  from  fear  that  he  might  be  one  of  the 
Narraganset  tribe,  with  whom  Massasoit  was  then  at 
war,  and  that  there  might  be  more  of  the  Narragan- 
sets  near  at  hand.  The  Pilgrims,  however,  bade 
them  not  to  fear,  assuring  them  that,  with  their  guns, 
they  should  not  hesitate  to  meet  twenty  of  the  foe. 
The  savage  was  hailed.  He  proved  to  be  a  friend, 
having  two  women  with  him.  The  two  parties  inter- 
changed courtesies,  ate  and  drank  together,  and  sep- 
arated, well  pleased  with  each  other. 

Soon  after  this  they  met  another  Indian,  also  ac- 
companied by  two  women.  They  had  been  at  a  ren- 
dezvous, by  a  salt  water  creek,  and  had  some  baskets 
full  of  roasted  crabs  and  other  small  shell  fish.  They, 
also,  in  oriental  fashion,  ate  and  drank  together,  in 
token  of  friendship.  The  women  were  made  very 
happy  by  a  present  each  of  a  string  of  beads,  as  bril- 


THE  INDIANS.  139 

liant  in  their  eyes  as  the  priceless  jewels  of  the  crown 
to  any  European  queen.  "  There  is  but  one  step 
between  the  sublime  and  the  ridiculous."  The 
step  is  equally  short  between  the  court-dress  of 
an  European  monarch  and  his  jeweled  queen,  and 
that  of  the  feathered  Indian  warrior  and  his  beaded 
squaw. 

Continuing  their  journey,  they  soon  reached  one 
of  the  small  towns  of  Massasoit.  This  was  probably 
Mattapoiset,  now  known  as  Gardner's  Neck,  in  Swan- 
sey.  They  were  hospitably  received  here,  and  fed 
with  oysters  and  other  fish. 

The  latter  part  of  the  afternoon  they  reached  Po- 
kanoket,  on  the  northern  shore  of  Narraganset  Bay. 
The  capital  of  the  Indian  monarch,  which  they  had 
thus  entered,  was  about  forty  miles  from  Plymouth. 
The  spot  where  the  little  cluster  of  wigwams  stood, 
was  probably  Sowams,  in  the  present  town  of  Warren. 
We  cannot  better  describe  the  interview  which  took 
place,  than  in  the  language  of  Mr.  Winslow : 

"  Massasoit  was  not  at  home.  There  we  stayed, 
he  being  sent  for.  When  news  was  brought  of  his 
coming,  our  guide,  Squantum,  requested  that,  at  our 
meeting,  we  would  discharge  our  pieces.  But  one  of 
us  going  about  to  discharge  his  piece,  the  women  and 
children,  through  fear  to  see  him  take  up  his  piece, 
ran  away,  and  could  not  be  pacified  till  he  laid  it  down 


140  MILES   STANDISH. 

again ;  who  afterwards  were  better  informed  by  our 
interpreter. 

"  Massasoit  being  come,  we  discharged  our  pieces 
and  saluted  him ;  who,  after  their  manner,  kindly 
welcomed  us,  and  took  us  into  his  house  and  set  us 
down  by  him ;  where,  having  delivered  our  foresaid 
message  and  presents,  and  having  put  the  coat  on  his 
back,  and  the  chain  about  his  neck,  he  was  not  a  lit- 
tle proud  to  behold  himself,  as  were  his  men  also,  to 
see  their  king  so  bravely  attired. 

"  In  answer  to  our  message,  he  told  us  we  were 
welcome,  and  he  would  gladly  continue  that  peace 
and  friendship  which  was  between  him  and  us.  As 
for  his  men,  they  should  no  longer  pester  us  as  they 
had  done.  He  would  also  send  us  corn  for  seed,  ac- 
cording to  our  request. 

"  This  being  done,  his  men  gathered  near  to  him, 
to  whom  he  turned  himself  and  made  a  great  speech  ; 
they  sometimes  interposing,  and,  as  it  were,  confirm- 
ing and  applauding  him  in  that  he  said." 

In  this  harangue  the  king  enumerated  thirty 
towns  or  villages  over  which  his  sovereignty  was  rec- 
ognized ;  and  enjoined  it  upon  his  people  ever  to  live 
in  peace  with  the  white  men,  and  to  carry  to  them  furs 
for  sale. 

"  This  being  ended  he  lighted  tobacco  for  us,  and 
fell  to  discoursing  of  England  and  of  the  King's  Maj- 


THE  INDIANS.  14! 

esty,  marvelling  that  he  would  live  without  a  wife.* 
Also  he  talked  of  the  Frenchmen,  bidding  us  not  to 
suffer  them  to  come  to  Narraganset,  for  it  was  King 
James's  country,  and  he  was  King  James's  man. 
Late  it  grew,  but  victuals  he  offered  us  none  ;  for,  in- 
deed, he  had  not  any,  he  being  so  newly  come  home. 
So  we  desired  to  go  to  rest.  He  laid  us  on  the  bed 
with  himself  and  his  wife,  they  at  the  one  end  and 
we  at  the  other,  it  being  only  planks  laid  a  foot  from 
the  ground,  and  a  thin  mat  upon  them.  Two  more 
of  his  chief  men,  for  want  of  room,  pressed  by  and 
upon  us,  so  that  we  were  worse  weary  of  our  lodging 
than  of  our  journey. 

"The-  next  day  being  Thursday,  many  of  their 
sachems,  or  petty  governors,  came  to  see  us,  and  many 
of  their  men  also.  There  they  went  to  their  manner 
of  games  for  skins  and  knives.  We  challenged  them 
to  shoot  with  us  for  skins,  but  they  durst  not ;  only 
they  desired  one  of  us  to  shoot  at  a  mark,  who,  shoot- 
ing with  hail-shot,  they  wondered  to  see  the"  mark  so 
full  of  holes. 

"  About  one  o'clock  Massasoit  brought  two  fishes 
that  he  had  shot.  They  were  like  bream,  but  three 
times  as  big,  and  better  meat,  f  These,  being  boiled, 

*  James  I.,  then  King  of  England,  had  been  a  widower  for  about  a 
year. 

f  This  was  probably  the  fish  called  tataug. 


142  MILES   STANDISH. 

there  were  at  least  forty  looked  for  share  in  them. 
The  most  ate  of  them.  This  meal  only  we  had  in 
two  nights  and  a  day.  And  had  not  one  of  us  bought 
a  partridge  we  had  taken  our  journey  fasting. 

"  Very  importunate  he  was  to  have  us  stay  with 
him  longer.  But  we  desired  to  keep  the  Sabbath  at 
home,  and  feared  that  we  should  either  be  light- 
headed for  want  of  sleep,  for  what  with  bad  lodging, 
the  savage's  barbarious  singing,  for  they  use  to  sing 
themselves  asleep,  lice  and  fleas  within  doors,  and 
mosquitoes  without,  we  could  hardly  sleep  all  of  the 
time  of  our  being  there  ;  we  much  fearing  that  if  we 
should  stay  any  longer  we  should  not  be  able  to  re- 
cover home  for  want  of  strength.  So  that  on  Friday 
morning,  before  sun-rising,  we  took  our  leave  and  de- 
parted, Massasoit  being  both  grieved  and  ashamed 
that  he  could  no  better  entertain  us." 

Their  journey  home  was  a  weary  one.  They  com- 
menced it  hungry,  and  without  any  supply  of  food  for 
the  way.  Squantum  and  five  other  Indians  accom- 
panied them,  who  were  accustomed  to  the  hardships 
of  the  wilderness,  and  knew  how  to  obtain  food  if  there 
were  roots  or  berries,  game  or  fish  anywhere  within 
reach.  When  they  arrived  at  Mattapoiset,  the  friendly 
but  half-starved  Indians  there  refreshed  them  with  a 
small  fish,  a  handful  of  parched  corn,  and  a  few  clams. 
The  clams  they  gave  to  their  six  Indians,  reserving 


THE   INDIANS.  143 

for  themselves  only  the  little  fish  and  the  handful  of 
meal,  which  by  no  means  satiated  their  craving  appe- 
tites. The  Indians  led  them  five  miles  out  of  their 
way,  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  food,  but  they  found 
the  place  abandoned  and  no  food  there. 

Hungry  and  weary  they  toiled  along,  and  that 
night  reached  the  wear  at  Titicut,  on  Taunton  River. 
Here  again  they  found  famine.  But  one  of  the  hos- 
pitable savages,  who  had  speared  a  shad,  and  shot  a 
small  squirrel,  gave  half  to  the  nearly  femished  trav- 
ellers. In  this  starving  condition  they  sent  one  of 
the  Indians  forward  to  Plymouth,  imploring  their 
brethren  immediately  to  send  an  Indian  runner  to 
meet  them  at  Namasket  with  food.  Fortunately  that 
evening  a  large  number  of  fishes  were  caught  in  the 
wear,  so  that  they  feasted  abundantly  upon  rx>asted 
fish,  and  their  fatigue  enabled  them  to  sleep  soundly 
in  the  open  air.  In  the  morning,  after  another  ample 
breakfast  of  roasted  fish,  which  their  good  appetites 
rendered  palatable,  they  set  out  again  upon  their 
journey. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  it  had  com- 
menced raining  with  great  violence,  accompanied  with 
thunder  and  lightning.  The  fire  which  the  Pilgrims 
had  built  to  keep  their  feet  warm  was  extinguished, 
and,  drenched  with  the  rain  and  shivering  with  cold, 
they  must  have  suffered  severely  had  not  their  great 


144  MILES   STANDISH. 

fatigue  rendered  them  almost  insensible  to  tne  ex- 
posure. The  storm  of  wind  and  rain  raged  unabated 
through  the  day.  But  they  toiled  on,  wet  and  weary, 
until,  a  little  after  noon,  they  reached  Namasket. 
Here  they  found  the  provisions  which  their  compan- 
ions had  sent  them  from  Plymouth.  Liberally  they 
rewarded  all  who  had  shown  them  any  kindness  by 
the  way.  At  night  they  reached  home,  wet,  weary 
and  footsore.  They  had  been  absent  five  days,  leav- 
ing Plymouth  Tuesday  morning,  and  returning  home 
Saturday  evening,  having  spent  Thursday  with  the 
renowned  Indian  monarch  Massasoit. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Exploring  Tours. 

The  Lost  Boy. — The  Expedition  to  Nauset. — Interesting  Adventures. 
— The  Mother  of  the  Kidnapped  Indians. — Tyanough. — Payment 
for  the  Corn. — Aspinet,  the  Chief. — The  Boy  Recovered. — Alarm- 
ing Intelligence. — Hostility  of  Corbitant. — The  Friendship  of 
Hobbomak. — Heroic  Achievement  of  Miles  Standish. — The  Mid- 
night Attack. — Picturesque  Spectacle. — Results  of  the  Adventure. 
Visit  to  the  Massachusetts. — The  Squaw  Sachem. — An  Indian 
Fort. — Charming  Country. — Glowing  Reports. 

We  have  before  spoken  of  the  notorious  John  Bil- 
lington  and  his  ungovernable  family.  His  boy  John, 
the  same  one  who  came  so  near  causing  the  May- 
flower to  be  blown  up  with  gunpowder,  got  lost  in  the 
woods.  The  search  to  find  him  was  unavailing.  At 
last  news  came  that  he  had,  after  wandering  five  days 
in  the  woods,  living  upon  berries,  been  picked  up- by 
the  Nauset  Indians,  the  same  who  had  attacked  the 
Pilgrims  at  the  First  Encounter.  Following  an  In- 
dian trail  he  had  reached  a  small  Indian  village,  called 
Manomet,  in  the  present  town  of  Sandwich,  about 
twenty  miles  south  of  Plymouth.  The  Indians  treated 
him  kindly,  and  took  him  with  them  still  further  down 
the  Cape  to  Nauset,  in  the  present  town  of  Barn- 
stable. 

7 


146  MILES   STANDISH. 

Massasoit  sent  word  to  Governor  Carver  where  he 
was,  and  an  expedition  of  ten  men  was  immediately 
fitted  out,  in  the  shallop,  to  bring  him  back:  It  was 
a  beautiful  day,  the  latter  part  of  July,  when  the  boat 
sailed  from  Plymouth  harbor  on  this  short  trip.  They 
had  not,  however,, been  many  hours  at  sea  ere  a  tem- 
pest arose  with  vivid  lightning  and  heavy  peals  of 
thunder.  They  ran,  for  shelter,  into  a  place  called 
Cummaquit,  which  was  doubtless  Barnstable  harbor. 
Squantum  and  another  Indian,  by  the  name  of  Toka- 
mahamon,  accompanied  them,  as  interpreters  and 
aids. 

It  was  night  before  they  reached  the  harbor  and 
cast  anchor.  The  receding  tide  left  them  dry  upon 
the  flats.  In  the  morning  they  saw  several  savages, 
on  the  shore,  seeking  for  shell-fish.  The  two  Indian 
interpreters  were  sent  to  communicate  with  them: 
They  returned  stating  that  the  boy  was  well,  but  that 
he  was  several  miles  further  down  the  Cape,  at  Nau- 
set.  The  Indians  also  invited  the  white  men  to  come 
on  shore  and  eat  with  them.  As  soon  as  the  return- 
ing tide  floated  the  boat  they  drew  near  to  the  shore, 
and,  cautiously  taking  four  unarmed  Indians  on  board 
as  hostages,  six  of  the  voyagers  landed.  Here  they 
had  a  very  pleasant  interview  with  the  sachem,  or 
chief  of  the  tribe,  a  young  man,  by  the  name  of  Tyan- 
ough,  but  twenty-six  years  of  age.  He  was  very  hos- 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  147 

pitable,  and  seemed  to  have  but  little  of  the  savage  in 
his  nature.  They  describe  him  as  "  very  personable, 
gentle,  courteous  and  fair  conditioned." 

They  met  here  with  an  aged  Indian  woman  whom 
they  judged  to  be  not  less  than  one  hundred  years 
old.  She  had  never  before  seen  a  white  man.  As 
soon  as  she  saw  the  English  she  burst  into  a  convul- 
sive fit  of  weeping.  It  appeared  that  she  had  three 
sons  who  had  been  lured  on  board  the  ship  of  the  in- 
famous Captain  Hunt  and  kidnapped.  They  were 
carried  off  to  Spain,  and  she  had  never  heard  any  tid- 
ings from  them.  The  Pilgrims  spoke  all  the  words 
of  comfort  to  the  poor  bereaved  mother  which  they 
could,  assuring  her  that  Captain  Hunt  was  a  very 
wicked  man,  whom  God  would  punish ;  that  all  the 
English  condemned  him  for  his  crime,  and  that  they 
would  not  be  guilty  of  the  like  wickedness  for  all  the 
skins  the  country  could  afford.  They  made  her  some 
presents  which  quite  cheered  her. 

After  dinner  they  re-embarked,  on  such  friendly 
terms  with  the  natives  that  the  chief  and  two  of  his 
men  went  on  board  with  them  to  accompany  them  on 
the  way.  It  was  in  the  evening  twilight  when  they 
reached  Nauset,  and  the  tide  was  out.  The  savages 
here  seemed  to  be  very  numerous,  and  they  crowded 
the  shore.  It  is  supposed  that  the  point  which  they 
had  reached  here  was  in  the  present  town  of  East- 


148  MILES   STANDISH. 

ham.  The  shallop  touched  the  flats  at  quite  a  dis- 
tance from  the  land.  Tyanough,  the  chief  of  the 
Cummaquit  Indians,  and  his  two  men,  waded  over 
the  wet  and  sandy  flats  to  the  beach.  Squantum  ac- 
companied them,  to  inform  Aspinet,  the  chief  of  the 
Nauset  Indians,  of  their  object  in  coming.  The  sav- 
ages manifested  great  eagerness  of  cordiality,  flocked 
out  to  the  boat,  and  expressed  more  than  willingness 
to  drag  it  over  the  flats  to  the  shore.  But  the  Pil- 
grims would  not  allow  this.  They  had  not  full  con- 
fidence in  their  sincerity.  This  was  the  same  tribe 
which  had  so  fiercely  assailed  them  in  the  First  En- 
counter. 

They,  therefore,  warned  the  Indians  off,  and  with 
their  weapons  stood  guard,  allowing  but  two  to  enter 
the  boat.  One  of  these  was  from  Manamoick,  now 
Chatham,  and  was  one  of  the  owners  of  the  corn  which 
the  Pilgrims  had  taken.  The  Pilgrims  received  him 
with  great  kindness,  and  assured  him  that  if  he  would 
come  to  Plymouth  they  would  repay  him  abundantly, 
either  in  corn  or  other  articles ;  or,  if  preferred,  they 
would  send  the  payment  to  the  Indians.  He  prom- 
ised to  come  to  Plymouth. 

Just  after  sunset  Aspinet  appeared  upon  the  shore, 
leading  the  boy,  and  accompanied  by  a  train  of  nearly 
one  hundred  men.  Fifty  of  these,  unarmed,  came 
wading  through  the  water  to  the  side  of  the  shallop, 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  149 

bringing  the  boy  with  them.  The  other  fifty  remained 
at  a  little  distance,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows, 
ready  to  meet  any  hostile  demonstration.  In  token 
of  peace,  and  of  his  desire  to  cherish  friendly  relations 
with  the  English,  Aspinet  had  decorated  the  boy  with 
Indian  ornaments.  The  Pilgrims  here  received  also 
the  rather  alarming  intelligence  that  Massasoit  had 
been  defeated  in  a  battle  with  the  Narragansets. 
Seven  men  only  had  been  left  for  the  protection  of 
the  colony.  It  was  feared  that  the  hostile  Narragan- 
sets might  make  an  attack  upon  them.  It  therefore 
appears  that  as  soon  as  the  tide  came  in,  that  very 
night,  they  spread  their  sails  for  home.  They  made 
Aspinet  the  present  of  a  knife,  and  also  gave  a  knife 
to  the  Indian  who  first  found  the  boy  and  protected 
him. 

The  route  which  they  had  followed  along  the  shore 
was  so  circuitous  that  they  estimated  that  they  had 
reached  a  point  eighty  miles  from  Plymouth.  The 
wind  was  contrary  and  their  progress  was  slow.  When 
they  reached  Cummaquit  they  put  in  ashore  for  water. 
Here  they  found  Tyanough,  who,  having  returned  by 
land,  had  reached  the  place  before  them.  The  oblig- 
ing chief  took  their  water  cask  upon  his  own  shoulders 
and  led  them  a  long  distance  through  the  dark  to  a 
spring  of  not  very  sweet  water.  The  shallop  was 
anchored  near  the  shore.  The  Indian  women,  in 


150  MILES   STANDISH. 

manifestation  of  their  'good  will,  sang  and  danced  upon 
the  beach,  clasping  hands. 

Again  they  set  sail,  still  encountering  contrary 
winds,  but  at  length  they  reached  their  home  in  safety. 
Soon  after  their  return,  they  learned  that  the  defeat 
of  Massasoit  was  more  disastrous  than  had  at  first 
been  reported.  It  seems  that  a  portion  of  the  Indians 
were  much  opposed  to  any  friendly  relations  with  the 
white  men,  and  wished  for  the  extermination  of  the 
colony.  An  Indian  by  the  name  of  Hobbomak,  who 
was  chief  of  one  of  the  minor  tribes,  had  now  strongly 
allied  himself  to  the  English.  Consequently  he  and 
Squantum  were  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  those  of  the 
savages  who  remained  unfriendly. 

One  of  Massasoit's  petty  chieftains,  named  Corbi- 
tant,  led  the  hostile  party.  He  was  an  audacious,  in- 
solent fellow,  residing  in  the  present  town  of  Middle- 
borough,  at  a  point  on  the  Namasket  River  just  above 
the  bridge,  which  passes  from  the  Green  to  the  Four 
Corners,  on  the  Plymouth  road.  This  man  endeavored 
to  excite  a  revolt  against  Massasoit,  assailing  the  Pil- 
grims with  the  most  opprobrious  language,  and  storm- 
ing at  the  peace  which  had  been  made  with  them  by 
Massasoit  and  the  tribes  on  the  Cape.  It  seemed 
also  that  he  was  entering  into  an  alliance  with  the 
Narraganset  Indians  against  Massasoit  and  the  Pil- 
grims. 


KXPLORING   TOURS.  151 

Hobbomak  was  a  war  captain  among  the  Wam- 
panoags,  and  was  greatly  beloved  by  Massasoit.  With 
Squantum  he  set  out  on  a  journey  to  visit  Massasoit, 
with  inquiries  and  words  of  cheer  from  the  Pilgrims. 
They  were  intercepted  on  their  way  by  Corbitant, 
and  both  captured.  Hobbomak,  being  a  very  power- 
ful man,  broke  away  and  escaped.  The  next  day, 
breathless  and  terrified,  he  reached  Plymouth,  report- 
ing what  had  happened.  On  their  journey  they  had 
entered  a  wigwam  at  Namasket,  when  suddenly  the 
hut  was  surrounded  by  a  band  of  armed  savages. 
Corbitant  himself,  brandishing  a  knife,  approached 
Squantum  to  kill  him,  saying,  "When  Squantum  is 
dead  the  English  will  have  lost  their  tongue."  Just 
then  Hobbomak  escaped,  and,  outrunning  his  pur- 
suers, reached  Plymouth,  not  knowing  the  fate  of  his 
companion. 

These  were  sad  tidings,  indicating  that  a  very 
perilous  storm  was  gathering.  Governor  Bradford 
immediately  assembled  all  the  men  of  the  colony  to 
decide  what  was  to  be  done.  After  earnest  prayer 
and  deliberation,  they  were  united  in  the  opinion  that, 
should  they  suffer  their  friends  and  allies  to  be  thus 
assailed  with  impunity,  none  of  the  Indians,  however 
kindly  disposed,  would  dare  to  enter  into  friendly  re- 
lations with  them.  They  therefore  resolved  to  send 
ten  men,  one-half  of  their  whole  number,  under  Cap- 


152  MILES   STANDISH. 

tain  Standish,  with  Hobbomak  as  their  guide,  to  seize 
Corbitant  and  avenge  the  outrage.  Never  did  a 
heroic  little  band  set  out  upon  a  more  chivalric  adven- 
ture. 

The  morning  of  the  I4th  of  August  was  dark  and 
stormy.  Regardless  of  wind  and  rain  Captain  Stand- 
ish led  his  valiant  companions  in  single  file  through 
the  narrow  and  dripping  paths  of  the  forest.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon  when  they  reached  a  secluded 
spot  within  four  miles  of  Namasket.  Here  they  con- 
cealed themselves  that  they  might  suddenly  fall  upon 
their  foe  in  the  darkness  of  night.  Cautiously  Cap- 
tain Standish,  who  was  alike  prudent  and  intrepid, 
led  his  band.  Every  man  received  minute  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  part  he  was  to  perform.  The  night 
was  so  dark,  with  clouds  and  driving  rain,  that  they 
could  hardly  see  a  hand's  breadth  before  them.  They 
lost  their  way,  and  after  groping  for  some  time  in  the 
tangled  thickets,  happily  again  found  their  trail.  It 
was  after  midnight  when,  wet  and  weary,  they  arrived 
within  sight  of  the  glimmering  fires  of  Namasket. 
After  silently  refreshing  themselves  from  their  knap- 
sacks they  crept  along  to  the  large  wigwam,  where 
they  supposed  that  Corbitant,  surrounded  by  several 
of  his  warriors,  was  sleeping.  The  darkness  of  the 
night  and  the  wailings  of  the  storm  caused  even  the 
wary  Indians  to  be  deaf  to  their  approach. 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  153 

"At  a  signal,  two  muskets  were  fired  to  terrify 
the  savages,  and  Captain  Standish,  with  three  or  four 
men,  rushed  into  the  hut.  The  ground  floor,  dimly 
lighted  by  some  dying  embers,  was  covered  with 
sleeping  Indians,  men,  women,  and  children.  A 
scene  of  indescribable  consternation  and  confusion 
ensued.  Through  Hobbomak,  Captain  Standish  or- 
dered every  Indian  to  remain  in  the  wigwam,  assuring 
them  that  he  had  come  for  Corbitant,  the  murderer 
of  Squantum,  and  that,  if  he  were  not  there,  no  one 
else  should  be  injured. 

"  But  the  savages,  terrified  by  the  midnight  sur- 
prise, and  by  the  report  of  the  muskets,  were  bereft 
of  reason.  Many  of  them  endeavored  to  escape,  and 
were  severely  wounded  by  the  Pilgrims  in  their  at- 
tempts to  stop  them.  -  The  Indian  boys,  seeing  that 
the  Indian  women  were  not  molested,  ran  around, 
frantically  exclaiming,  '  I  am  a  girl !  I  am  a  girl ! ' 

"  At  last  order  was  restored,  and  it  was  found  that 
Corbitant  was  not  there,  but  that  he  had  gone  off, 
with  all  his  train,  and  that  Squantum  was  not  killed. 
A  bright  fire  was  now  kindled,  that  the  hut  might  be 
carefully  searched.  Its  blaze  illuminated  one  of  the 
wildest  of  imaginable  scenes.  The  wigwam,  spacious 
and  rudely  constructed  of  boughs,  mats  and  bark; 
the  affrighted  savages,  men,  women  and  children,  in 
their  picturesque  dress  and  undress,  a  few  with  ghastly 


154  MILES   STANDISH. 

wounds,  faint  and  bleeding ;  the  bold  colonists,  in 
their  European  dress  and  armor ;  the  fire  blazing  in 
the  centre  of  the  hut,  all  combined  to  present  a  scene 
such  as  few  eyes  have  ever  witnessed."  * 

By  this  time  all  the  inmates  of  the  adjoining  wig- 
wams were  aroused.  Hobbomak,  in  the  darkness, 
climbed  to  the  top  of  the  wigwam  and  shouted  aloud 
for  Squantum.  In  his  response  to  his  well-known 
voice,"  Squantum  soon  appeared.  Captain  Standish 
deprived  all  the  Indian  warriors  of  their  bows  and  ar- 
rows, and  having  established  a  watch,  sought  such 
repose  as  they  could  find  until  morning. 

Many  of  these  Indians  were  friendly  to  the  Eng- 
lish, and  they,  with  the  earliest  light  of  the  morning, 
gathered  around  Captain  Standish.  The  hostile  In- 
dians, who  belonged  to  the  faction  of  Corbitant,  fled 
during  the  night.  It  seemed,  however,  that  a  major- 
ity were  disposed  to  be  friendly,  for  a  large  group 
gathered  around  Captain  Standish,  with  pledges  of 
their  good  will.  He  addressed  them  in  words  of  con- 
ciliation, and  yet  of  firmness,  assuring  them  that, 
though  Corbitant  had  for  the  present  escaped,  if  he 
continued  his  hostility  he  could  find  no  retreat  from 
the  avenging  hand  of  the  white  man.  He  also  assured 
them  that  if  the  Narragansets  continued  their  as- 

*  Abbott's  Life  of  King  Philip. 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  155 

saults  upon  Massasoit  or  upon  any  ol  his  subjects, 
the  white  men  would  punish  them  by  the  utter  over- 
throw of  their  tribe.  He  expressed  much  regret  that 
any  of  the  Indians  had  been  wounded,  but  told  them 
that  it  was  their  own  fault,  as  he  had  assured  them 
that  they  should  not  be  harmed  if  they  would  remain 
in  the  hut.  He  also  offered  to  take  home  with  him 
any  who  were  wounded,  that  they  might  be  carefully 
nursed.  Two  of  the  wounded  availed  themselves  of 
this  offer.  The  surgeon  of  the  Pilgrim  company,  Mr. 
Samuel  Fuller,  tenderly  cared  for  them. 

Captain  Standish  led  his  triumphant  little  band 
back,  accompanied  by  Squantum,  and  many  other 
friendly  Indians.  The  heroic  achievement  taught  the 
friendly  Indians  that  they  could  rely  upon  the  protec- 
tion of  the  white  men,  and  was  a  loud  warning  to 
those  who -were  disposed  to  be  hostile.  The  enter- 
prise occupied  but  two  days.  As  the  result  of  this 
adventure,  many  Sachems  sent  in  the  expression  of 
their  desire  to  enter  into  a  friendly  alliance  with  the 
Pilgrims.  Corbitant  himself  was  frightened  by  such 
an  exhibition  of  energy,  and  by  his  own  narrow  es- 
cape. He  sought  reconciliation  through  the  interces- 
sion of  Massasoit,  and  subsequently  signed  a  treaty 
of  submission  and  friendship.  Even  Canonicus,  the 
hostile  and  warlike  chief  of  the  Narragansets,  sent 
an  embassy  to  Plymouth,  not  improbably  as  spies,  but 


156  MILES   STANDISH. 

with  the  professed  object  of  treating  for  peace.  The 
friendship  of  Massasoit,  and  his  influence  over 'the 
chiefs  of  the  smaller  tribes,  contributed  much  to  this 
happy  result. 

The  Blue  Hills  of  Milton  were  then  called  Mount 
Massachusetts.  Many  rumors  had  reached  the  colo- 
nists that  the  tribes  residing  in  that  vicinity,  about 
forty  miles  north  from  Plymouth,  were  very  unfriend- 
ly, had  uttered  many  threats,  and  were  preparing  for 
hostile  measures.  The  Pilgrims  decided  to  send  an 
expedition  to  that  region,  to  establish,  if  possible, 
friendly  relations  with  the  natives,  and  they  also 
wished  to  examine  the  country. 

Captain  Miles  Standish  was,  of  course,  the  one  to 
be  entrusted  with  the  command  of  the  important  en- 
terprise. He  took  a  party  in  the  shallop,  of  nine  of 
the  colonists,  and  three  Indians,  as  interpreters,  one 
of  whom  was  Squantum.  They  set  sail  at  midnight, 
in  consequence  of  the  favoring  tide.  It  was  Tuesday 
morning,  the  i8th  of  September,  O.  S.  A  gentle 
southerly  breeze  pressed  their  sails,  and  they  glided 
over  a  smooth  sea  until  they  reached  a  point  which 
they  estimated  to  be  about  sixty  miles  from  the  port 
which  they  had  left.  As  they  had  been  informed  that 
the  tribes  were  numerous  and  warlike,  as  well  as  un- 
friendly, and  it  was  a  mild  autumnal  night,  Captain 
Standish  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  land,  but  they  all 
remained  until  morning  in  the  boat. 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  157 

They  had  entered  a  bay,  which  was  doubtless 
Boston  harbor,  and  anchored  but  a  short  distance 
from  a  cliff,  which  some  have  supposed  to  have  been 
Copp's  Hill,  at  the  north  end  of  Boston.  This  cliff 
rose  about  fifty  feet  from  the  water,  and  presented  a 
precipitous  front  on  the  seaward  shore. 

The  next  morning  they  put  in  for  the  shore  and 
landed.  *  Here  they  found  quite  a  quantity  of  lob- 
sters which  the  savages  had  collected",  but  for  some 
unknown  reason  had  left.  Captain  Standish,  with 
characteristic  prudence,  left  three  men  to  guard  the 
shallop,  and  stationed  two  as  sentinels,  in  a  com- 
manding position  on  the  shore,  to  give  warning  of  any 
appearance  of  danger.  Then,  with  characteristic  en- 
terprise and  courage,  taking  four  men  with  him,  and 
an  Indian  as  guide  and  interpreter,  he  entered  one  of 
the  well-trodden  trails  of  the  forest  and  pressed  for- 
ward in  search  of  the  habitations  of  the  Indians.  It 
was  a  bold  deed ;  for,  though  they  had  guns,  a  hun- 
dred Indian  warriors,  shooting  their  barbed  arrows 
from  behind  trees,  would  soon  lay  them  all  weltering 
in  blood. 

They  had  not  gone  far  before  they  met  an  Indian 
woman  who,  it  seems,  owned  some  of  the  lobsters, 

*  Mr.  Drake,  in  his  History  of  Boston,  supposes  that  the  "cliff" 
alluded  to  must  have  been  that  pile  of  rocks  now  called  "  the  chapel," 
in  Quincy  Bay. 


158  MILES   STANDISH. 

and  was  going  to  the  shore  to  get  them.  But  the 
colonists  had  feasted  upon  the  savory  food.  They 
paid  the  woman,  however,  abundantly,  to  her  entire 
satisfaction.  She  informed  them  that  the  small  tribe 
to  which  she  belonged,  and  whose  chieftain's  name 
was  Obbatinewat,  resided  in  a  village  a  little  farther 
along  the  coast.  They  therefore  sent  Squan-tum 
forward  to  the  Indian  village  to  inform  Obbatinewat 
that  the  Pilgrims  were  coming  to  make  him  a  friendly 
visit.  Captain  Standish  returned  to  the  shallop  to 
continue  their  voyage  to  the  settlement. 

It  required  but  a  short  sail.  The  Indian  chief 
and  his  people,  being  prepared  for  their  coming,  re- 
ceived them  kindly.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the 
chief  of  the  Massachusett  tribe,  probably  the  most 
powerful  tribe  then  in  these  borders,  was  a  woman — 
a  squaw.  Upon  the  death  of  her  husband,  Nanepash- 
emet,  she  had  been  recognized  as  his  successor. 
She  was  known  as  the  Squaw  Sachem,  and  was  at 
war  with  Obbatinewat.  Captain  Standish  offered  his 
services  to  promote  reconciliation.  This  was  cer- 
tainly magnaminious,  for  according  to  the  principles 
of  selfish  worldly  policy,  it  would  have  seemed  ex- 
pedient to  keep  the  tribes  warring  against  each  other, 
thus  to  prevent  their  combining  against  the  Pilgrims, 
and  thus  enabling  the  Pilgrims  to  retain  what  is  called 
the  balance  of  power.  But  Miles  Standish,  a  straight- 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  159 

forward,  honest  man,  scorned  all  such  arts  of  expe- 
diency. 

Obbatinewat  resided  near  the  bottom  of  the  inner 
Massachusetts  Bay.  He  was  ever  trembling  in  view 
of  the  incursions  of  a  powerful  tribe  of  Indians,  who 
resided  on  the  Kennebec,  the  Penobscot,  and  other 
rivers  of  Maine.  They  came  in  great  numbers  in  time 
of  harvest,  robbing  them  of  their  corn  and  committing 
all  manner  of  savage  outrages. 

Very  gladly  Obbatinewat,  who  seems  to  have  been 
an  amiable,  peace-loving  man,  availed  himself  of  the 
friendly  offer  of  Captain  Standish,  and,  with  some  of 
his  people,  accompanied  him  in  the  shallop  across  the 
harbor,  it  is  supposed  from  Quincy  to  what  is  now 
Charlestown,  to  visit  the  squaw  sachem.  Mr.  Wins- 
low  describes  the  visit  in  the  following  words : 

"  Again  we  crossed  the  bay,  which  is  very  large, 
and  hath  at  least  fifty  islands  in  it ;  but  the  certain 
number  is  not  known  to  the  inhabitants.  Night  it 
was  before  we  came  to  that  side  of  the  bay  where  this 
people  were.  On  shore  the  savages  went,  but  found 
nobody.  That  night  also  we  rode  at  anchor  aboard 
the  shallop. 

"  On  the  morrow  we  went  ashore,  all  but  two  men, 
and  marched,  in  arms,  up  in  the  country.  Having 
gone  three  miles  we  came  to  a  place  where  corn  had 
been  newly  gathered,  a  house  pulled  down,  and  the 


l6o  MILES   STANDISH. 

peopie  gone.  A  mile  from  hence  Nanepashemet, 
their  king,  in  his  lifetime,  had  lived.  His  house  was 
not  like  others :  but  a  scaffold  was  largely  built  with 
poles  and  planks,  some  six  feet  from  the  ground,  and 
the  house  upon  that,  being  situated  on  the  top  of  a 
hill. 

"Not  far  from  here,  in  a  bottom,  we  came  to  a 
fort,  built  by  their  deceased  king  ;  the  manner  thus : 
There  were  poles,  some  thirty  or  forty  feet  long,  stuck 
in  the  ground  as  thick  as  they  could  be  set  one  by 
another.  With  these  they  enclosed  a  ring,  some 
thirty  or  forty  feet  long.  A  trench,  breast-high,  was 
digged  on  each  side.  One  way  there  was  to  go  into 
it  with  a  bridge.  In  the  midst  of  this  palisade  stood 
the  frame  of  a  house,  wherein,  being  dead,  he  lay 
buried. 

About  a  mile  from  here  we  came  to  such  another, 
but  seated  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  Here  Nanepashemet 
was  killed ;  none  dwelling  in  it  since  the  time  of  his 
death.  At  this  place  we  staid,  and  sent  for  two  sav- 
ages to  look  for  the  inhabitants,  and  to  inform  them 
of  our  ends  in  coming,  that  they  might  not  be  fearful 
of  us.  Within  a  mile  of  this  place  they  found  the 
women  of  the  place  together,  with  their  corn  on  heaps, 
whither  we  supposed  them  to  have  fled  for  fear  of  us  ; 
and  the  more,  because  in  divers  places  they  had  newly 
pulled  down  their  houses,  and  for  haste,  in  one  place, 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  l6l 

had  left  some  of  their  corn,  covered  with  a  mat,  and 
nobody  with  it. 

"  With  much  fear  they  entertained  us,  at  first ; 
but  seeing  our  gentle  carriage  towards  them,  they 
took  heart,  and  entertained  us  in  the  best  manner 
they  could,  boiling  cod  and  such  other  things  as  they 
had  for  us.  At  length,  with  much  sending  for,  came 
one  of  their  men,  shaking  and  trembling  for  fear. 
But  when  he  saw  we  intended  them  no  hurt,  but  came 
to  truck,  he  promised  us  his  skins  also.  Of  him  we 
inquired  for  their  queen.  It  seemed  that  she  was  far 
from  thence.  At  least  we  could  not  see  her. 

"  Here  Squantum  would  have  had  us  rifle  the  sav- 
age women,  and  take  their  skins  and  all  such  things 
as  might  be  serviceable  for  us  ;  for,  said  he,  they  are 
a  bad  people,  and  have  often  threatened  you.  But 
our  answer  was,  '  Were  they  never  so  bad,  we  would 
not  wrong  them,  or  give  them  any  just  occasion 
against  us.  For  their  words  we  little  weighed  them  ; 
but  if  they  once  attempted  any  thing  against  us,  then 
we  would  deal  far  worse  than  he  desired." 

Having  passed  the  day  thus  pleasantly,  they  re- 
turned to  the  shallop.  Nearly  all  the  women  accom- 
panied them.  The  Indians  had  quite  a  quantity  of 
beaver  skins,  from  which  very  comfortable  garments 
were  made.  The  Pilgrims  were  eager  to  purchase 
these  skins,  and  the  Indian  women  were  so  eager  to 


1 62  MILES   STANDISH. 

obtain,  in  exchange  for  them,  such  articles  as  the 
English  had  to  dispose  of,  that  we  are  told  "  they  sold 
their  coats  from  their  backs,  and  tied  boughs  about 
them,  but  with  great  shamefacedness,  for  indeed 
they  are  more  modest  than  some  of  our  English 
women  are." 

The  savages  reported  that  there  were  two  rivers 
emptying  into  the  bay,  the  Mystic  and  the  Charles. 
The  Pilgrims,  however,  saw  but  one,  and  they  had  not 
time  to  explore  even  that.  They  saw  evidences  that 
most  of  the  islands  in  the  harbor  had  been  inhabited, 
having  been  cleared,  and  prepared  for  corn  from  end 
to  end.  But  they  were  now  desolate,  the  plague  hav- 
ing swept  the  whole  of  their  populations  into  the 
grave.  The  food  of  the  exploring  party  becoming 
scarce,  and  there  being  a  bright  moon  and  a  fair  wind, 
they  set  sail  in  the  evening,  and  by  noon  of  the  next 
day,  Saturday,  September  22d,  they  reached  home, 
having  been  absent  four  days.  Mr.  Winslow  was  one 
of  the  party,  and  it  is  supposed  that  he  wrote  the  ac- 
count from  which  we  have  quoted. 

The  adventurers  brought  back  so  glowing  a  report 
of  the  harbor,  with  its  beautiful  and  fertile  islands, 
the  rivers  and  the  rich  soil,  that  the  colonists  quite 
regretted  that  they  had  not  found  that  spot  for  their 
settlement.  "  The  country  of  the  Massachusetts," 
said  they,  "  is  the  paradise  of  all  those  parts,  for  here 


EXPLORING  TOURS.  163 

are  many  isles,  all  planted  with  corn,  groves,  mulber- 
ries and  savage  gardens. 

The  summer  had  passed  away  with  the  Pilgrims 
very  pleasantly  and  prosperously.  Friendly  relations 
had  been  established  with  the  Indians,  and  a  lucrative 
traffic  opened  in  valuable  furs.  There  had  been  no 
want  of  provisions.  Fishing  had  been  successful, 
furnishing  them  with  an  abundant  supply  of  cod  and 
bass.  Water  fowl,  such  as  ducks  and  wild  geese, 
abounded,  and  the  forests  were  filled  with  deer  and 
turkeys.  In  the  autumn  they  gathered  in  a  fine  har- 
vest of  corn,  and  though  they  had  no  mills  to  grind 
it,  by  hand-pounding  they  converted  it  into  meal,  with 
which  they  made  very  palatable  cakes.  Thus  amply 
supplied  with  food,  they  made  their  houses  more  tight 
and  comfortable,  and  gathered  their  fuel  for  the  win- 
ter fires.  They  wrote  home  such  glowing  letters  of 
their  prosperity,  that  very  many  others  were  inspired 
with  the  desire  to  join  them.  One  of  these  letters, 
written  by  Edward  Winslow,  will  be  given  in  the  next 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Menaces  of  Famine  and  War. 

Arrival  of  the  Fortune. — Object  of  the  Pilgrims  in  their  Emigration. — 
Character  of  the  New-Comers. — Mr.  Winslow's  Letter. — The 
First  Thanksgiving. — Advice  to  Emigrants. — Christmas  Anec- 
dote.— Alarming  Rumor. — The  Narragansets. — Curious  Declara- 
tion of  War. — The  Defiance. — Fortifying  the  Village. — The  Meet- 
ing in  Council  and  the  Result. — The  Alarm. — The  Shallop  Re- 
called. 

Early  in  July  of  this  year,  1621,  the  Fortune,  a 
small  vessel  of  but  fifty-five  tons,  which  they  called  a 
ship,  sailed  from  London  for  the  colony.  There  were 
thirty-five  passengers  on  board,  many  of  whom  appear 
to  have  been  mere  adventurers,  emigrating  to  the 
New  World  through  restlessness,  curiosity,  or  love 
of  gain.  The  men  of  this  party  outnumbered  the  de- 
vout Pilgrims  who  were  still  living  at  Plymouth.  Thus 
an  influence  was  introduced  to  the  colony  quite  ad- 
verse to  the  religious  element  which  had  hitherto 
pervaded  it.  In  Mr.  Robert  Cushman's  "  Relation  of 
the  Reasons  for  Emigrating  from  England  to  Amer- 
ica," he  writes : 

"  And  first,  seeing  we  daily  pray  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heathen,  we  must  consider  whether  there 
be  not  some  ordinary  means  and  course  for  us  to  take 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE   AND   WAR.  1 6$ 

to  convert  them  ;  or  whether  prayer  for  them  be  only 
referred  to  God's  extraordinary  work  from  Heaven. 
Now  it  seemeth  unto  me  that  we  ought  also  to  en- 
deavor and  use  the  means  to  convert  them.  And  the 
means  cannot  be  used  unless  we  go  to  them  or  they 
come  to  us.  To  us  they  cannot  come.  Our  land  is 
full.  To  them  we  may  go.  Their  land  is  empty. 
This  then  is  sufficient  reason  to  prove  our  going 
thither  to  live,  lawful." 

The  reckless  men  on  board  the  Fortune,  suppos- 
ing that  they  should  find  an  ample  supply  of  every- 
thing in  the  New  World,  took  with  them  scarcely 
provisions  enough  to  last  during  the  voyage.  Con- 
trary winds  so  retarded  their  progress  that  they  did 
not  clear  the  English  channel  until  the  end  of  August. 
It  was  not  until  the  Qth  of  November  that,  in  almost 
a  famishing  condition,  they  cast  anchor  in  the  harbor 
at  the  extremity  of  Cape  Cod.  Mr.  Cushman,  who 
had  been  left  behind  by  the  abandonment  of  the 
Speedwell,  was  with  this  party.  The  Fortune  en- 
tered Plymouth  harbor  on  the  23d  of  November.  The 
Pilgrims  were,  of  course,  very  happy  to  welcome  such 
a  re-enforcement  from  home.  They  were  not  then 
aware  of  the  uncongenial  elements  of  which  it  was 
composed.  Mr.  Bradford,  in  his  account  of  this  event, 
writes : 

"  Most  of  them  were  lusty  young  men,  and  many 


1 66  MILES   STANDISH. 

of  them  wild  enough,  who  little  considered  whither  or 
about  what  they  went,  till  they  came  into  the  harbor 
at  Cape  Cod,  and  there  saw  nothing  but  a  naked  and 
barren  place. 

"  They  then  began  to  think  what  would  become 
of  them  if  the  people  here  were  dead,  or  cut  off  by 
the  Indians.  They  then  began  to  consult  upon  some 
speeches  that  some  of  the  seamen  had  cast  out,  to 
take  the  sails  from  the  yards  lest  the  ship  should  get 
away  and  leave  them  there.  But  the  master,  hearing 
of  it,  gave  them  good  words,  and  told  them  that  if 
anything  but  well  should  have  befallen  the  people 
here,  he  hoped  he  had  victuals  enough  to  carry  them 
to  Virginia ;  and  that  while  he  had  a  bit  they  should 
have  their  parts ;  which  gave  them  good  satisfaction." 

These  men  were  landed  at  Plymouth  in  a  state  of 
great  destitution.  Of  the  thirty-five  thus  added  to 
the  colony  twenty-seven  were  men.  The  remainder 
were  women  and  children.  Some  of  these  men  con- 
stituted a  valuable  addition  to  the  colony  ;  but  others 
of  them  were  utterly  worthless.  They  brought  with 
them  no  food,  no  furniture,  no  domestic  utensils,  no 
extra  clothing  ;  and,  worst  of  all,  no  habits  of  industry 
or  established  principles  of  industry. 

The  Fortune  remained  at  Plymouth  but  about  a 
fortnight,  and  on  the  I3th  of  December  commenced 
her  return  voyage.  She  took  back,  as  freight,  various 


MENACES   OF   FAMINE   AND   WAR.  167 

kinds  of  timber,  sassafras,  and  beaver  skins.  The 
estimated  value  of  her  cargo  was  about  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars.  We  may  mention,  in  passing, 
that  England  was  then  at  war  with  France.  The  For- 
tune, when  near  the  coast  of  England,  was  captured 
by  a  French  cruiser,  relieved  of  her  cargo,  and  sent 
home. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  there  were  but  seven 
families  composing  the  colony  at  the  time  of  the  arri- 
val of  the  Fortune.  The  Governor  disposed  of  these 
destitute  and  half  famished  new-comers,  in  these  fam- 
ilies, as  best  he  could.  The  Pilgrims  had,  before  this 
arrival,  an  ample  supply  of  food  for  the  winter.  But 
upon  this  unexpected  doubling  of  their  number  of 
hungry  mouths,  it  was  found,  upon  careful  examina- 
tisn,  that  their  food  was  quite  inadequate  to  meet  their 
wants  until  another  harvest.  The  fishing  season  was 
over ;  the  summer  game  was  gone ;  the  harvest  was 
all  gathered  in.  There  could  be  no  more  addition  to 
their  supply  of  provisions  for  many  months.  There 
could  be  nothing  obtained  from  the  Indians.  The 
thoughtless  creatures  would  themselves  be  hungry 
before  another  summer  should  come.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  Pilgrims,  quite  to  their  dismay, 
found  it  necessary  to  put  the  colony  upon  half  allow- 
ance of  food. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  Fortune  they  were  rejoic- 


l68  MILES  'STANDISH. 

ing  in  abundance.  Now  they  found  themselves  upon 
the  verge  of  famine.  Mr.  Edward  Winslow  wrote  a 
letter  to  Mr.  George  Morton,  probably  the  "  G.  Mourt," 
author  of  the  celebrated  "  Relation."  This  letter  was 
sent  to  England  by  the  Fortune,  on  her  retnrn  voy- 
age, and  was  dated  the  2ist  of  December,  1621.  It 
was  consequently  written  just  a  year  after  the  arrival 
of  the  Pilgrims.  It  gives  a  very  glowing  account  of 
the  prosperity  of  the  colony,  for  it  was  written  before 
the  facts  were  ascertained  consequent  upon  the  irrup- 
tion of  the  destitute  adventurers  in  the  Fortune.  Its 
statements  can,  of  course,  be  relied  upon,  as  coming 
from  one  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  Pilgrims,  and 
one  who  had  taken  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  scenes 
which  he  describes.  It  was  as  follows  : 

"  LOVING  AND  OLD  FRIEND  : 

"  Although  I  received  no  letter  from  you  by  this 
ship,  *  yet  forasmuch  as  I  know  you  expect  the  per- 
formance of  my  promise,  which  was  to  write  you 
truthfully  and  faithfully  of  all  things,  I  have  therefore, 
at  this  time,  sent  unto  you  accordingly,  referring  you 
for  further  satisfaction,  to  our  large  "  Relations." 

"  You  shall  understand  that,  in  the  little  time  that 
a  few  of  us  have  been  here,  we  have  built  seven  f 

*  The  Fortune. 

f  It  will  be  remembered  that,  as  half  of  their  number  had  died, 
seven  houses  accommodated  the  survivors. 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE  AND  WAR.  169 

dwelling  houses,  and  four  for  the  use  of  the  planta 
tion,  and  have  made  preparation  for  divers  others. 
We  set,  the  last  spring,  some  twenty  acres  of  Indian 
corn,  and  sowed  some  six  acres  of  barley  and  pease. 
And,  according  to  the  manner  of  the  Indians,  we  ma- 
nured our  ground  with  herrings,  or  rather  shads, 
which  we  have  in  great  abundance,  and  take  with 
with  great  ease  at  our  doors.  *  Our  corn  did  prove 
well ;  and,  God  be  praised,  we  had  a  good  increase 
of  Indian  corn,  and  our  barley  indifferent  good ;  but 
our  pease  were  not  worth  the  gathering,  for  we  feared 
they  were  too  late  sown.  They  came  up  very  well  and 
blossomed,  but  the  sun  parched  them  in  the  blossom. 
"  Our  harvest  being  gotten  in,  our  governor 
(Bradford)  sent  four  men  on  fowling,  that  so  we  might, 
after  a  special  manner,  rejoice  together  after  we  had 
gathered  the  fruit  of  our  labors.  They  four  in  one 
day  killed  as  much  fowl  as,  with  a  little  help  beside, 
served  the  company  almost  a  week.  At  which  time, 

*  Morton,  in  his  New  English  Canaan,  writes :  "  There  is  a  fish, 
by  some  called  shads,  that  at  the  spring  of  the  year  pass  up  the  rivers 
to  spawn  in  the  ponds,  and  are  taken  in  such  multitudes  in  every  river 
that  hath  a  pond  at  the  end,  that  the  inhabitants  dung  their  ground 
with  them.  You  may  see  in  one  township  a  hundred  acres  together 
set  with  these  fish,  every  acre  taking  a  thousand  of  them.  And  an 
acre  thus  dressed  will  produce  and  yield  so  much  corn  as  three  acres 
without  fish." 

It  was  the  rule  of  the  Indians  to  plant  their  corn  when  the  leaves 
of  the  white  oak  were  as  big  as  the  ear  of  a  mouse.     They  put  two 
or  three  fishes  in  every  cornhill. 
8 


I7O  MILES   STANDISH. 

among  other  recreations,  we  exercised  our  arms,  many 
of  the  Indians  coming  amongst  us,  and,  among  the 
rest,  their  greatest  king,  Massasoit,  with  some  ninety 
men,  whom  for  three  days  we  entertained  and  feasted, 
and  they  went  out  and  killed  five  deer,  which  they 
brought  to  the  plantation,  and  bestowed  on  our  Gov- 
ernor and  the  Captain,  (Standish,)  and  others." 

In  reference  to  this  festival,  we  read,  in  the  Life 
of  Elder  Brewster :  "  The  provisions  for  the  little 
colony  being  secured  for  the  ensuing  winter,  their 
Governor  set  apart  a  day  for  public  thanksgiving. 
Accordingly,  with  the  fruits  of  their  labors,  the  thank- 
ful feast  was  prepared,  that  all  might,  in  a  special 
manner,  rejoice  together,  under  a  grateful  sense  of 
these  tokens  of  divine  mercy.  It  was  their  first 
thanksgiving  or  harvest  festival  in  the  New  World. 
And  we  may  well  conjecture  what  were  the  feelings 
and  what  the  theme  of  the  Elder  (Brewster),  as,  as- 
sembled in  their  Common  House,  he  led  the  devo- 
tions of  these  worshippers,  and  spoke  to  them  words 
befitting  the  occasion." 

"We  have  found  the  Indians,"  continues  Mr. 
Winslow,  "very  faithful  in  their  covenant  of  peace 
with  us  ;  very  loving  and  ready  to  pleasure  us.  We 
often  go  to  them  and  they  come  to  us.  Some  of  us 
have  been  fifty  miles  by  land  in  the  country  with 
them  ;  the  occasions  and  Relations  whereof  you  shall 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE  AND  WAR.  I/I 

understand,  by  one  general  and  more  full  declaration 
of  such  things  as  are  worth  the  noting.  Yea,  it  hath 
pleased  God  so  to  possess  the  Indians  with  a  fear  of 
us,  and  love  unto  us,  that  not  only  the  greatest  king 
among  them,  called  Massasoit,  but  also  all  the  princes 
and  peoples  round  about  us,  have  either  made  suit 
unto  us,  or  been  glad  of  any  occasion  to  make  peace 
with  us ;  so  that  seven  of  them,  at  once,  have  sent 
their  messengers  to  us  to  that  end.  Yea,  an  isle,  * 
at  sea,  which  we  never  saw,  hath  also,  together  with 
the  former,  yielded  willingly  to  be  under  the  protec- 
tion, and  subjects  to  our  sovereign  lord,  King  James  ; 
so  that  there  is  now  great  peace  among  the  Indians 
themselves,  which  was  not  formerly,  neither  would 
have  been  but  for  us. 

"  We,  for  our  parts,  walk  as  peaceably  and  safely 
in  the  woods  as  in  the  highways  of  England.  We 
entertain  them  familiarly  in  our  houses,  and  they  as 
friendly  bestow  their  venison  upon  us.  They  are  a 
people  without  any  religion,  or  knowledge  of  any 
God,f  yet  very  trusty,  quick  of  apprehension,  ripe 
witted,  just.  The  men  and  women  go  naked,  only  a 


*  Probably  Martha's  Vineyard,  then  called  Capawock. 

f  Subsequently  Mr.  Winslow  wrote,  correcting  this  statement : 
"Whereas,  myself  and  others,  in  former  letters,  wrote  that  the  Indi- 
ans about  us  are  a  people  without  any  religion  or  knowledge  of  any 
God,  therein  I  erred,  though  we  could  then  gather  no  better." — Wins- 
low's  Good  News. 


MILES   STANDISH. 

skin  about  their  middles.  For  the  temper  of  the  air 
here,  it  agreeth  well  with  that  of  England.  And  if 
there  be  any  difference  at  all,  this  is  somewhat  hot- 
ter in  summer.  Some  think  it  to  be  colder  in  winter ; 
but  I  cannot,  out  of  experience,  so  say.  The  air  is 
very  clear  and  not  foggy,  as  hath  been  reported. 

"  I  never  in  my  life  remember  a  more  seasonable 
year  than  we  have  here  enjoyed.  And  if  we  have 
once  but  kine  horses  and  sheep,  I  make  no  question 
but  men  might  live  as  contented  here  as  in  any  part 
of  the  world.  For  fish  and  fowl  we  have  great  abun- 
dance. Fresh  cod  in  summer  is  but  coarse  meat  with 
us.  Our  bay  is  full  of  lobsters  all  the  summer,  and 
affordeth  variety  of  other  fish.  In  September  we  can 
take  a  hogshead  of  eels  in  a  night,  with  small  labor, 
and  can  dig  them  out  of  their  beds  all  the  winter. 
We  have  muscles  and  clams  *  at  our  doors.  Oysters 
we  have  none  near ;  but  we  can  have  them  brought 
"by  the  Indians  when  we  will.  All  the  spring  time  the 
earth  sendeth  forth  naturally  very  good  salid  herbs. 

Here  are  grapes,  white  and  red,  and  very  sweet 
and  strong  also;  strawberries,  gooseberries,  rasp- 
berries, etc.;  plums  of  three  sorts,  white,  black  and 
red,  being  almost  as  good  as  a  damson ;  abundance 
of  roses,  white,  red  and  damask,  single,  but  very 
sweet  indeed. 

*  There  is  some  uncertainty  about  this  word,  but  this  is  probably 
the  true  reading. 


MENACES  OF  FAMINE   AND  WAR.  173 

"  The  country  wanteth  only  industrious  men  to 
employ ;  for  it  would  grieve  your  hearts  if,  as  I,  you 
had  seen  so  many  miles  together,  by  goodly  rivers, 
uninhabited,  and  withall  to  consider  those  parts  of  the 
world  wherein  you  live  to  be  even  greatly  burdened 
with  abundance  of  people.  These  things  I  thought 
good  to  let  you  understand,  being  the  truth  of  things 
as  near  as  I  could  experimentally  take  knowledge  of, 
and  that  you  might  on  our  behalf  give  God  thanks 
who  hath  dealt  so  favorably  with  us. 

"Our  supply  of  men  from  you  came  the  9th  of 
November,  1621,  putting  in  at  Cape  Cod,  some  eight 
or  ten  leagues  from  us.  The  Indians,  who  dwell 
thereabout,  were  they  who  were  owners  of  the  corn 
which  we  found  in  caves,  for  which  we  have  given 
them  full  content,  and  are  in  great  league  with  them. 
They  sent  us  word  there  was  a  ship  near  unto  them, 
but  thought  it  to  be  a  Frenchman ;  and,  indeed,  our- 
selves, we  expected  not  a  friend  so  soon. 

"  But  when  we  perceived  she  made  for  our  bay, 
the  Governor  commanded  a  great  piece  to  be  shot  off, 
to  call  home  such  as  were  abroad  at  work.  Where- 
upon every  man,  yea  boy,  that  could  handle  a  gun 
was  ready,  with  full  resolution  that,  if  she  were  an 
enemy,  we  would  stand  in  our  just  defense,  not  fear- 
ing them.  But  God  provided  better  for  them  than 
we  had  supposed.  These  came  all  in  health,  not  any 


174  MILES    STANDISH. 

being  sick  by  the  way,  otherwise  than  by  sea  sick- 
ness, and  so  continue,  at  this  time,  by  the  blessing  of 
God. 

"  When  it  pleaseth  God  we  are  settled  and  fitted 
for  the  fishing  business  and  other  trading,  I  doubt  not 
but,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  the  grain  will  give  con- 
tent to  all.  In  the  mean  time,  that  which  we  have 
gotten  we  send  by  this  ship ;  and  though  it  be  not 
much,  yet  it  will  witness  for  us  that  we  have  not  been 
idle,  considering  the  smallness  of  our  number,  all  this 
summer. 

"  Now,  because  I  expect  your  coming  unto  us,* 
with  other  of  our  friends,  whose  company  we  much 
desire,  I  thought  good  to  advise  you  of  a  few  things 
needful.  Be  careful  to  have  a  very  good  bread-room 
to  put  your  biscuits  in.  Let  your  cask  for  beer  and 
water  be  iron-bound,  for  the  first  tire,  if  not  more. 
Let  not  your  meat  be  dry  salted ;  none  can  better  do 
it  than  the  sailors.  Let  your  meal  be  so  hard  trod  in 
your  cask  that  you  shall  need  an  adz  or  hatchet  to 
work  it  out  with.  Trust  not  too  much  on  us,  for  corn 
at  this  time,  for  by  reason  of  this  last  company  that 
came,  depending  wholly  upon  us,  we  shall  have  little 
enough  till  harvest. 


*  Mr.  George  Morton,  to  whom  this  letter  was  addressed,  came 
out  in  the  next  ship,  the  Ann,  which  sailed  from  London  about  the 
last  of  April,  1622. 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE  AND   WAR.  175 

"  Be  careful  to  come  by  some  of  your  meal  to 
spend  by  the  way.  It  will  much  refresh  you.  Build 
your  cabins  as  open  as  you  can,  and  bring  good  store 
of  clothes  and  bedding  with  you.  Bring  every  man  a 
musket  or  fowling-piece.  Let  your  piece  be  long  in 
the  barrel,  and  fear  not  the  weight  of  it,  for  most  of 
our  shooting  is  from  stands.  Bring  juice  of  lemon, 
and  take  it  fasting  ;  it  is  of  good  use.  For  hot  waters, 
aniseed  water  is  the  best ;  but  use  it  sparingly.  If 
you  bring  anything  for  comfort  in  the  country,  butter 
or  sallet  oil,  or  both,  is  very  good.  Our  Indian  corn, 
even  the  coarsest,  maketh  .as  pleasant  meat  as  rice  ; 
therefore  spare  that,  unless  to  spend  by  the  way. 
Bring  paper  and  linseed  oil  for  your  windows,  with 
cotton  yarn  for  your  lamps.  Let  your  shot  be  most 
for  b.ig  fowls,  and  bring  store  of  powder  and  shot." 

The  Pilgrims,  it  seems,  had  only  oiled  paper  to 
keep  out  the  storms  of  a  New  England  winter.  Eight 
years  after  this,  the  arts  had  made  such  progress  that 
Mr.  Higginson  in  the  year  1629,  in  a  letter  addressed 
from  Salem  to  his  friends  in  England  writes,  "  Be  sure 
to  furnish  yourselves  with  glass  for  windows."  In- 
deed, glass  windows  were  not  introduced  into  England 
until  the  year  1 1 80.  Then  they  were  so  costly  that 
none  but  the  most  wealthy  could  have  them.  Even 
in  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  they  were  considered  a 
luxury  which  the  common  people  could  not  think  of 
enjoying. 


176  MILES  STANDISH. 

One  of  the  passengers  in  the  Fortune,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Hilton,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  his  friends  at 
home,  immediately  after  his  arrival,  having  written  in 
glowing  terms  of  the  richness  of  the  country  and  the 
prospects  of  the  colony,  adds : 

"  We  are  all  freeholders.  The  rent  day  doth  not 
trouble  us ;  and  all  those  good  blessings  we  have  of 
which  and  what  we  list  in  their  seasons  for  taking. 
Our  company  are,  for  the  most  part,  very  religious, 
honest  people.  The  word  of  God  is  sincerely  taught 
to  us  every  Sabbath ;  so  that  I  know  not  anything  a 
contented  mind  can  here  want.  I  desire  your  friendly 
care  to  send  my  wife  and  children  to  me,  where  I  wish 
were  all  the  friends  I  have  in  England." 

Mr.  Hilton's  family  came  in  the  next  ship.  Not 
only  had  the  Fortune  brought  no  supply  to  the  colo- 
nists, but  they  were  compelled  to  take  from  their  own 
rapidly  diminishing  stores  to  supply  the  ship's  crew 
with  provisions  for  her  return  voyage.  Another  win- 
ter came.  In  the  absence  of  all  domestic  animals 
such  as  horses,  mules,  cows,  oxen,  sheep,  there  was 
but  little  of  the  usual  winter  work  of  farmers  which 
remained  for  the  Pilgrims  to  perform.  Fishing,  hunt- 
ing and  the  collection  of  fuel,  which  they  drew  with 
their  own  hands  to  their  doors,  occupied  the  most  of 
their  time. 

On  Christmas  day  rather  an  amusing  event  occur- 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE   AND   WAR.  177 

red,  which  has  been  recorded  by  Governor  Bradford. 
In  the  papal  church  and  with  the  common  people  in 
England,  Christmas  had  become  a  day  of  revelry,  ca- 
rousing and  drunkenness.  Ostensibly  set  apart  as  a 
religious  festival,  the  depravity  of  man  had  so  per- 
verted it  that,  of  all  the  days  in  the  year,  Christmas 
was  the  one  most  utterly  abandoned  to  wickedness. 
Under  these  circumstances  the  Puritans,  perhaps  un- 
wisely, deemed  it  expedient  to  abolish  the  observance 
of  the  day  altogether. 

On  the  morning  of  Christmas  day  the  Governor, 
as  usual  on  other  days,  went  out  with  the  Pilgrims  of 
the  Mayflower  to  their  usual  occupation  in  the  fields. 
But  some  of  the  new-comers,  idle  and  frivolous,  and 
accustomed  to  the  Christmas  games  of  England,  ex- 
cused themselves  from  going  into  the  field,  saying 
that  their  consciences  would  not  allow  them  to  do  any 
work  on  Christmas  day. 

The  Governor  replied  that  if  it  were  a  matter  of 
conscience  they  might  certainly  be  excused, — that  he 
did  not  wish  that  any  persons  in  the  colony  should 
have  violence  done  to  their  religious  convictions.  He 
therefore  left  these  men  at  home,  while  he  went,  with 
the  rest  of  the  colonists,  to  their  daily  toil.  But  when 
they  returned  at  noon,  they  found  these  scrupulous 
men,  whose  consciences  would  not  allow  them  to  per- 
form any  useful  labor  on  Christmas  day,  out  in  the 
8* 


1/8  MILES   STANDISH. 

streets  engaged  in  all  manner  of  old  country  sports, 
They  were  pitching  the  bar,  playing  ball,  and  engaged 
in  games  of  petty  gambling.  Governor  Bradford 
went  to  them,  and  by  virtue  of  his  office,  took  away 
from  them  their  implements  of  gaming,  saying : 

"  It  is  against  my  conscience  that  you  should  play 
while  others  work.  If  your  religious  convictions  con- 
strain you  to  observe  Christmas,  you  should  keep  the 
day  religiously,  at  home  or  in  the  church.  But  there 
must  be  no  gambling  or  revelry  on  that  day." 

This  settled  the  question,  and  there  were  no  more 
demands  for  an  idle  or  riotous  Christmas. 

Soon  after  the  departure  of  the  Fortune,  in  the 
depth  of  winter,  painful  rumors  came  that  the  pow- 
erful Narragansets,  under  their  redoubtable  Chief, 
Canonicus,  were  assuming  a  threatening  attitude. 
The  English  had  now  about  fifty  men  capable  of  bear- 
ing arms,  and  not  a  large  supply  of  ammunition.  The 
Narragansets  could  bring  against  them  five  thousand 
warriors.  They  occupied  the  region  extending  from 
the  western  shores  of  Narraganset  Bay  to  Pawcatuck 
River,  and  the  tribe  was  estimated  to  number  about 
thirty  thousand.  The  Pilgrims,  all  counted,  men, 
women  and  children,  were  less  than  one  hundred  in 
number.  This  was  a  fearful  cloud  of  war  with  which 
they  thus  found  themselves  menaced. 

While  such  was  the  position  of  affairs,  one  day  a 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE   AND   WAR.  179 

strange  Indian  entered  the  settlement.  It  soon  ap- 
peared that  he  was  a  Narraganset.  He  seemed  not 
a  little  embarrassed,  and  enquired  for  Squantum,  the 
interpreter.  It  seemed  some  relief  to  him  to  learn 
that  he  was  absent.  He  then  left  for  him  a  bundle  of 
arrows,  wrapped  up  in  the  skin  of  a  rattlesnake,  and 
was  hastily  departing,  when  Governor  Bradford,  wish- 
ing to  know  the  significance  of  this  strange  conduct, 
ordered  Captain  Standish  to  detain  him.  He  was  ar- 
rested and  entrusted  to  the  safe  keeping  of  Mr.  Wins- 
low  and  Mr.  Hopkins.  Captain  Standish  gave  orders 
that  he  should  be  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness, 
supplied  with  everything  he  needed,  and  while  assured 
that  he  should  not  be  harmed,  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr. 
Hopkins  should  endeavor  to  obtain  from  him  a  full 
and  minute  account  of  the  object  of  his  strange  mis- 
sion. 

At  first  he  was  so  terrified  that  he  could  scarcely 
speak  a  word.  But  gradually  regaining  composure, 
he  stated  that  the  messenger  who  had  been  sent  to 
the  Pilgrims  in  the  summer  with  terms  of  peace,  had 
brought  back  such  tidings  of  the  weakness,  of  the  col- 
ony that  Canonicus  was  encouraged  to  seek  its  de- 
struction ;  that  he  was  angry  in  consequence  of  the 
alliance  of  the  colonists  with  his  enemies,  the  Wam- 
panoags  ;  that  he  professed  to  despise  the  meanness 
of  the  presents  sent  to  him  by  the  Governor,  and 


180  MILES   STANDISH. 

scorned  to  receive  them ;  and  that  the  arrows  and  the 
rattlesnake  skin  were  to  be  understood  as  his  decla- 
ration of  war. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  this  savage  chieftain 
should  have  had'such  a  sense  of  honor  as  to  send  this 
warning  to  his  foes,  instead  of  treacherously  falling 
upon  them  when  unprepared.  And  it  is  also  remark- 
able that  this  challenge  should  have  been  so  similar 
to  that  which,  in  ancient  days,  the  Scythian  prince 
sent  to  Darius,  which  consisted  of  five  arrows. 

When  the  Governor  and  Captain  Standish  were 
informed  of  the  results  of  the  interview,  they  justly 
regarded  their  captive  as  an  innocent  messenger, 
whom,  in  accordance  with  all  the  laws  of  war,  they 
were  to  hold  unharmed.  They  therefore,  after  offer- 
ing him  food,  which  he  refused  to  eat,  set  him  at  lib- 
erty, directing  him  •  to  say  to  Canonicus,  that  while 
they  wished  to  live  at  peace  with  all  men,  and  while 
they  had  done  him  no  harm,  they  were  indignant  in 
view  of  his  threatenings,  had  no  fear  of  his  power,  and 
bade  him  defiance. 

A  violent  storm  was  raging.  But,  notwithstand- 
ing the  storm  and  the  entreaties  of  the  Pilgrims,  that 
he  would  remain  with  them  until  it  should  abate,  he 
refused  to  accept  of  their  hospitality,  and  soon  disap- 
peared, travelling  with  all  speed  through  one  of  the 
trails  of  the  drenched  and  surging  forest. 


MENACES   OF   FAMINE   AND   WAR.  l8l 

The  Pilgrims  held  a  council.  It  was  deemed  im- 
portant that  no  timidity  whatever  should  be  mani- 
fested, but  that  they  should  present  a  bold  front  to 
their  foes.  In  the  mean  time  Squantum  had  returned 
to  aid  them  with  his  counsel.  After  some  delibera- 
tion, they  sent  a  friendly  Indian,  as  a  messenger,  to 
Canonicus,  returning  to  him  his  rattlesnake  skin,  filled 
with  powder  and  bullets.  This  was  a  defiance  which 
would  be  understood.  The  superstitious  savage  chief 
was  quite  alarmed  by  this  response.  Squantum,  who 
appears  to  have  been  quite  a  meddling,  unscrupulous 
man,  had  declared  to  the  Indians  that  the  English  had 
a  box  in  which  they  kept  the  plague,  and  that  if  the 
Indians  offended  them  they  would  let  the  awful 
scourge  loose.  They  still  retained  a  very  vivid  recol- 
lection of  the  horrors  of  the  pestilence  which  had 
swept  over  them. 

Canonicus  feared  that  the  snake-skin  contained 
some  secret  and  fatal  charm  for  his  destruction.  He 
dared  not  touch  it.  He  dared  not  attempt  to  destroy 
it.  He  dared  not  allow  it  to  remain  in  his  house  or 
country.  And  thus  it  was  conveyed  from  place  to 
place  until  finally  it  was  returned  whole  to  the  colony 
at  Plymouth. 

Notwithstanding  the  brave  attitude  the  colonists 
had  assumed,  they  had  great  cause  for  uneasiness. 
They  promptly  decided  that  it  was  necessary  to  sur- 


1 82  MILES   STANDISH. 

round  the  whole  of  their  little  village  with  a  palisade 
consisting  of  strong  posts,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high, 
planted  in  the  ground  in  contact  with  each  other. 
This  palisade  also  included  a  portion  of  the  top  of  the 
hill,  where  their  ordnance  was  planted,  and  at  the 
bottom  of  which  their  village  was  built.  There  were 
three  gates  of  entrance,  which  were  locked  every 
night,  and  carefully  guarded  every  day.  Captain 
Standish  divided  his  whole  force  into  four  companies 
of  about  twelve  men  each,  and  appointed  a  captain 
over  each  band.  A  general  muster  was  appointed, 
which  was  the  first  general  muster  in  New  England. 
At  this  gathering,  Captain  Standish  reviewed  his 
troops  and  gave  minute  directions  to  each  company 
where  to  assemble  and  what  to  do  in  case  of  alarm. 
The  months  of  January  and  February  were  devoted 
incessantly  to  fortifying  their  little  village,  the  work 
being  completed  early  in  March. 

Captain  Standish,  in  his  visit  to  the  Massachusetts, 
had  informed  the  natives  that  he  would  soon  visit 
them  again,  to  purchase  such  furs  as  they  might  have 
collected.  It  was  deemed  important  now  to  fulfill 
this  promise,  one  principal  object  being  to  impress 
the  Indians  with  the  conviction  that  the  colonists  had 
no  fear  of  them.  It  was  also  rumored  to  them  that 
the  several  tribes  of  Massachusetts  Indians,  and  that 
even  their  friends  the  Wampanoags,  under  Massa- 


MENACES   OF  FAMINE   AND  WAR.  183 

soit,  were  entering  into  the  confederacy  of  the  Narra- 
ganset's  against  the  white  men.  The  friendly  Indian, 
Hobbomak,  who  resided  with  the  Pilgrims  at  Ply- 
mouth, seemed  deeply  impressed  with  the  conviction 
that  the  Massachusetts  Indians  were  hostile,  and  as- 
sured Captain  Standish  that  should  he  attempt  a  journey 
to  Massachusetts,  he  would  be  surely  cut  off  by  the 
savages.  He  gave  many  plausible  reasons  in  sup- 
port of  the  correctness  of  his  views,  and  even  declared 
that  Squantum,  in  whom  they  reposed  -much  confi- 
dence, was  treacherously  their  foe,  aiding  the  Indi- 
ans ;  and  that  Squantum  would  endeavor  to  draw 
them  as  far  as  possible  from  their  shallop,  that  the 
Indians  might  fall  upon  them  and  destroy  them.  He 
however  did  not  believe  that  Massasoit  meditated  any 
treachery. 

The  Governor,  Captain  Standish,  and  few  others 
of  the  most  judicious  men  held  a  council  together, 
and  came  to  the  following  conclusion,  which  I  give 
in  the  words  of  Edward  Winslow,  who  was  one  of  the 
council  : 

"  That  as  hitherto,  upon  all  occasions  between  the 
Indians  and  us,  we  had  ever  manifested  undaunted 
love  and  resolution,  so  it  would  not  now  stand  with 
our  safety  to  mew  ourselves  up  in  our  new-enclosed 
town  ;  partly  because  our  store  was  almost  empty, 
and  therefore  we  must  seek  out  our  daily  food,  with- 


1 84  MILES   STANDISH. 

out  which  we  could  not  long  subsist ;  but  especially 
that  thereby  they  would  see  us  dismayed  and  be  en- 
couraged to  prosecute  their  malicious  purposes  with 
more  eagerness  than  ever  they  had  intended. 

"Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  our  fearless  carriage  might  be  a  means  to  dis- 
courage and  to  weaken  their  proceedings.  And  there- 
fore we  thought  best  to  proceed  in  our  trading  voyage, 
making  this  use  of  what  we  had  heard,  to  go  the  bet- 
ter provided,  and  use  the  more  carefulness  both  at 
home  and  abroad,  leaving  the  event  to  the  disposing 
of  the  Almighty ;  whose  providence,  as  it  had  hitherto 
been  over  us  for  good,  so  we  had  now  no  cause,  save 
our  sins,  to  despair  of  his  mercy  in  our  preservation 
and  continuance,  where  we  desired  rather  to  be  in- 
struments of  good  to  the  heathen  about  us,  than  to 
give  them  the  least  measure  of  just  offense." 

In  accordance  with  this  resolve,  early  in  April 
Captain  Standish  took  ten  men,  with  Squantum  and 
Hobbomak  as  interpreters,  and  set  out  in  the  shallop 
for  what  is  now  Boston  harbor.  In  Plymouth  bay 
there  is  a  remarkable  promontory,  connected  with 
Marshfield  by  a  beach,  now  called  Salt-house  beach, 
about  six  miles  long.  The  extremity  of  this  promon- 
tory was  call  Garnet's  Nose,  from  its  resemblance  to 
a  similar  point  of  land  on  the  coast  of  England.  The 
peninsula  contains  about  twenty-seven  acres  of  good 


MENACES   OF   FAMINE   AND   WAR.  1 8$ 

land,  and,  upon  its  southern  extremity,  there  have 
since  been  erected  two  light-houses. 

Just  as  the  shallop  was  doubling  Gurnet's  Nose, 
an  Indian,  who  was  one  of  the  family  of  Squantum, 
came  rushing  in  apparent  terror,  his  face  covered 
with  blood,  to  some  of  the  Pilgrims  at  work  in  the 
woods,  looking  behind  him  as  if  pursued,  and  calling 
upon  them  to  hasten  with  all  possible  speed  within 
the  protection  of  the  palisades.  Breathlessly  he  told 
them  that  at  Namasket,  now  Middleborough,  within 
fifteen  miles  of  Plymouth,  a  war  party  of  Narragansets 
and  Wampanoags,  united  under  Massasoit,  the  pro- 
fessed friend,  but  treacherous  foe,  of  the  colonists,  was 
marching  to  attack  them.  He  said  that  he  had  been 
attacked  and  wounded  for  speaking  friendly  words  in 
behalf  of  the  colonists,  and  that  by  breaking  away  he 
had  narrowly  escaped  death. 

Upon  receiving  this  startling  intelligence,  the  Gov- 
ernor ordered  the  cannon  upon  the  hill  to  be  instantly 
discharged  to  recall  the  shallop.  The  day  was  calm, 
the  boat  had  been  retarded  hi  its  progress,  and  the 
report,  booming  over  the  still  waters  of  the  bay,  reached 
the  ears  of  the  crew  just  as  the  shallop  was  disappear- 
ing around  the  point  of  Gurnet's  Nose.  Captain 
Standish  immediately  returned,  the  whole  military 
force  of  the  colony  was  at  once  called  inro  requisition, 
and  measures  were  adopted  for  a  vigorous  defense. 


1 86  MILES   STANDISH. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  shallop,  Hobbomak,  who 
was  with  Captain  Standish,  declared,  with  great  posi- 
tiveness,  that  the  rumor  was  false.  He  said  that  he 
was  sure  that  Massasoit  would  prove  faithful  to  his 
pledges  ;  that  it  was  impossible  that  he  could  under- 
take such  an  enterprise  without  communicating  his 
intentions  to  his  sub-chiefs,  of  whom  Hobbomak  him- 
self was  one  of  the  principal.  This  tended  rather  to 
increase  the  suspicions  of  the  colonists  that  Squantum 
might  be  playing  a  double  part. 

To  ascertain  the  facts,  the  wife  of  Hobbomak,  who 
seems  to  have  been  a  very  intelligent  and  reliable 
woman,  was  sent  as  a  secret  agent  or  spy  to  Pokano- 
ket,  the  seat  of  Massasoit,  to  inform  herself  respect- 
ing the  true  posture  of  affairs,  and  to  bring  back  a  re- 
port. Her  difficult  and  important  mission  she  per- 
formed very  creditably.  Finding  there  everything 
quiet,  and  no  indication  whatever  of  any  hostile  move- 
ment, she  frankly  informed  Massasoit  of  the  rumors 
which  had  reached  the  ears  of  the  Pilgrims.  He  was 
very  indignant  in  being  thus  traduced,  threw  much 
blame  upon  Squantum,  and  expressed  his  gratitude 
that  the  Governor  had  not  distrusted  him.  He  re- 
quested the  squaw  to  assure  the  Governor  that  he 
would  prove  faithful  to  his  treaty  obligations,  and  that 
should  he  see  any  indications  of  hostility  in  any  quar- 
ter he  would  immediately  give  the  Governor  warning. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Weymouth  Colonists. 

The  Double-Dealing  of  Squantum. — False  Alarm. — Voyage  to  Mas- 
sachusetts.— Massasoit  Demands  Squantum. — The  Arrival  of  the 
boat. — The  Virginia  Massacre. — Preparations  for  Defense. — Ar- 
rival of  the  Charity  and  the  Swan. — Vile  Character  of  the  Wey- 
mouth Colonists. — Arrival  of  the  Discovery. — Starvation  at  Wey- 
mouth.— Danger  of  the  Plymouth  Colony. — Expeditions  for  Food. 
Death  of  Squantum. — Voyage  to  Massachusetts  and  the  Cape. 

Speaking  of  the  apprehended  double-dealing  of 
Squantum,  Mr.  Winslow  writes  : 

"  Thus,  by  degrees,  we  began  to  discover  Squan- 
tum, whose  ends  were  only  to  make  himself  great  in 
the  eyes  of  his  countrymen,  by  means  of  his  nearness 
and  favor  with  us,  not  caring  who  fell  so  he  stood.  In 
the  general,  his  course  was  to  persuade  them  he  could 
lead  us  to  peace  or  war  at  his  pleasure,  and  would  oft 
threaten  the  Indians,  sending  them  word  in  a  private 
manner  that  we  were  intending  shortly  to  kill  them, 
that  thereby  he  might  get  gifts  to  himself  to  work 
their  peace ;  insomuch  that  they  had  him  in  greater 
esteem  than  many  of  their  sachems.  So  that  where- 
as divers  were  wont  to  rely  on  Massasoit  for  protec- 
tion, and  resort  to  his  abode,  now  they  began  to  leave 
him  and  seek  after  Squantum. 


1 88  MILES   STANDISH. 

"  Now,  though  he  could  not  make  good  these,  his 
large  promises,  especially  because  of  the  continued 
peace  between  Massasoit  and  us,  he  therefore  raised 
this  false  alarm,  hoping,  while  things  were  hot  in  the 
heat  of  blood,  to  provoke  us  to  march  into  his  coun- 
try against  him ;  whereby  he  hoped  to  kindle  such  a 
flame  as  would  not  easily  be  quenched ;  and  hoping 
if  that  block  were  once  removed,  there  were  no  other 
between  him  and  honor,  which  he  loved  as  his  life,  and 
better  than  peace." 

The  above  is  undoubtedly  the  true  explanation  of 
the  strange  conduct  of  Squantum.  The  Governor 
very  severely  reprimanded  him  for  his  trickery.  Mas- 
sasoit was  so  indignant  that  he  sent  a  messenger  to 
Plymouth,  entreating  that  Squantum  might  be  put  to 
death.  The  Governor  admitted  that  he  deserved 
death,  but  he  could  not  possibly  be  spared.  As  he 
alone  understood  both  languages,  without  him  there 
could  scarcely  be  any  intercourse  between  the  Pil- 
grims and  the  Indians. 

"  It  was,  perhaps,"  writes  Francis  Baylies,  "  after 
all,  but  natural  for  Squantum,  who  does  not  appear  to 
have  possessed  much  influence  with  the  natives,  at 
the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  English,  to  endeavor  to 
make  the  most  of  their  favor.  His  knowledge  of  the 
English  language  gave  him  a  decided  advantage  over 
all  others.  His  own  small  tribe  had  been  extermina- 


THE   WEYMOUTH    COLONISTS.  189 

ted  by  the  plague.  He  was  a  solitary  man,  unaided 
by  the  influence  or  favor  of  kindred,  and  he  only  used 
the  means  which  fortune  had  placed  in  his  hands  to 
acquire  wealth,  consideration  and  influence.  Another 
of  his  devices,  to  magnify  the  power  of  the  English, 
and  consequently  his  own,  was  to  persuade  the  na- 
tives that  the  English  had  buried  the  plague  in  their 
store-house,  and  that  they  could  loose  it  at  will,  and 
ravage  the  whole  country.  The  apprehension  of  this 
kept  the  Indians  in  great  fear."  * 

The  alarm  created  by  this  false  rumor  having  sub- 
sided, Captain  Standish  again  set  out  with  his  party 
to  visit  Massachusetts.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we 
have  not  a  detailed  account  of  the  incidents  which 
occurred  upon  this  voyage.  The  only  record  we  have 
is  contained  in  the  few  following  words,  by  Mr.  Wins- 
low  : 

"After  this,  we  proceeded  in  our  voyage  to  the 
Massachusetts,  where  we  had  good  store  of  trade ; 
and,  blessed  by  God,  returned  in  safety,  though  driven 
from  before  our  town  in  great  danger  and  extremity 
of  weather."  f 

Upon  their  return  in  May,  they  found  Massasoit 
still  in  a  state  of  great  excitement  in  reference  to  the 

*  Memoir  of  the  Colony  of  Plymouth,  by  Francis  Baylies.    Part 
the  First,  page  91. 

f  Winslow  in  Young ;  p.  290. 


IQO  MILES   STANDISH. 

conduct  of  Squantum.  By  the  treaty,  which  the  Eng- 
lish had  entered  into  with  the  Indian  King,  both  par- 
ties were  bound  to  surrender  criminals.  Squantum, 
as  an  adopted  member  of  the  Wampanoag  tribe,  was 
a  subject  of  Massasoit.  The  Indian  chief  now  sent 
an  imposing  delegation  to  Plymouth,  formally  demand- 
ing the  surrender  of  Squantum,  that,  in  accordance 
with  Indian  law,  he  might  be  put  to  death  as  a  traitor. 
With  the  delegation,  he  sent  executioners  to  cut  off 
Squantum's  head  and  hands,  and  to  bring  them  to  him. 
In  token  of  his  friendship  for  the  English  he  sent  to 
the  Governor  a  rich  present  of  beaver  skins. 

Governor  Bradford  was  much  embarrassed.  He 
sent  for  Squantum.  The  culprit,  though  fully  aware 
of  the  object  of  the  Indian  envoys,  and  even  that  Mas- 
sasoit had  sent  his  own  knife,  with  which  to  cut  off 
his  head  and  hands,  made  no  effort  to  escape.  With 
true  Indian  stolidity  he  yielded  himself  to  the  Gover- 
nor to  be  delivered  to  death,  or  not,  as  he  might  think 
best. 

The  terms  of  the  treaty  seemed  clear.  The  Gov- 
ernor decided  that  he  could  not,  without  violating  his 
solemn  pledge,  refuse  to  surrender  Squantum  to  Mas 
sasoit.  He  was  just  about  to  make  this  surrender, 
which  would  have  resulted  in  the  immediate  death  of 
the  Indian,  and  which,  of  course,  created  the  most  in- 
tense excitement  in  the  little  colony,  when  all  were 


THE   WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  191 

startled  by  the  apparition  of  a  shallop,  under  full  sail, 
rounding  Hither  Monornet  Point,  which  constituted 
the  southern  boundary  of  Plymouth  Bay.  A  panic 
pervaded  the  colony.  It  was  feared  that  it  was  a 
French  boat,  accompanying  some  French  man-of-war, 
and  that  they  were  approaching  in  conceit  with  the 
Indians  for  the  destruction  of  the  colony.  Every  man 
sprang  to  arms.  Captain  Standish  mustered  his  whole 
force  for  defence.  It  might  be  that  the  hostile  Indi- 
ans would  rush  upon  them  in  an  hour.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  Squantum,  with  all  his  great  imperfec- 
tions of  character,  was  the  friend  of  the  English.  His 
services  as  interpreter,  under  these  circumstances, 
became  more  important  than  ever.  Governor  Brad- 
ford therefore  informed  the  envoys  that  he  could  not 
deliver  Squantum  to  their  custody.  This  roused  their 
indignation.  "  Being  mad  with  rage,"  writes  Mr.  Wins- 
low,  "and  impatient  at  delay,  they  departed  in  great 
heat." 

It  was  soon  ascertained,  greatly  to  the  relief  of 
the  colonists,  that  the  shallop  belonged  to  an  English 
fishing  vessel,  called  the  Sparrow.  The  ship  had  been 
fitted  out  by  Mr.  Thomas  Weston,  a  London  mer- 
chant, and  brought  seven  passengers  to  be  landed  at 
Plymouth.  The  vessel,  engaged  in  fishing,  had  cast 
anchor  at  a  place  called  Damari's  Cove,  near  Monhe- 
gan,  upon  the  coast  of  Maine,  about  one  hundred  and 


IQ2  MILES   STANDISH. 

twenty  miles  northeast  from  Plymouth.  This  was 
famous  fishing  ground,  and  there  were,  at  that  time, 
thirty-five  vessels  riding  at  anchor  there.  The  Spar- 
row, while  most  of  her  crew  were  engaged  in  fishing, 
had  sent  her  shallop  to  convey  the  seven  passengers 
to  Plymouth. 

The  boat  brought  seven  more  mouths  to  be  fed, 
and  no  provisions.  It  was  the  last  of  May,  1622. 
The  colonial  store  of  food  was  almost  entirely  con- 
sumed, and  for  a  long  time  the  colonists  had  been 
placed  upon  very  short  allowance.  This  boat  brought 
a  very  friendly  letter  from  the  captain  of  the  Swallow, 
John  Huldston,  communicating  the  startling  intelli- 
gence that  the  Indians  in  Virginia  had  risen  against 
the  colony  there  on  the  22d  of  March,  and  four  hun- 
dred of  the  Indians  had  been  massacred.  There  could 
be  no  doubt  that  this  success  of  the  Indians  in  Vir- 
ginia would  be  speedily  communicated  to  all  the 
tribes ;  and  that  it  would  inspire  the  hostile  Indians 
in  New  England  with  the  desire  to  imitate  their  ex- 
ample. 

The  crew  of  the  shallop  had  barely  provision  suf- 
ficient to  serve  them  until  their  return  to  the  ship. 
The  destitution  of  food  in  the  colony  was  so  great 
that  the  colonists  were  threatened  with  absolute  star- 
vation. The  Governor  therefore  sent  Mr.  Winslow 
in  the  shallop,  with  a  small  crew,  to  the  fishing  ves- 


THE  WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  193 

sels,  to  obtain  from  them,  if  possible,  some  supplies. 
The  boat  from  the  Swallow  led  the  way.  The  fisher- 
men were  very  generous.  Though  they  had  but  a 
scant  supply  of  provisions  for  themselves,  yet,  with  an 
abundant  store  of  fish  on  board,  they  were  in  no  dan- 
ger of  starving.  They  refused  to  take  any  pay  for 
the  contributions  they  furnished  to  meet  the  wants  of 
the  Pilgrims.  Governor  Bradford  writes  : 

"  What  was  got,  and  this  small  boat  brought,  being 
divided  among  so  many,  came  but  to  a  little.  Yet  by 
God's  blessing  it  upheld  them  till  harvest.  It  arose  to 
but  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  bread  a  day  to  each  per- 
son. The  Governor  caused  it  to  be  daily  given  them ; 
otherwise,  had  it  been  in  their  own  custody,  they 
would  have  eaten  it  up  and  then  starved.  But  thus, 
with  what  else  they  could  get,  they  made  pretty  shift 
until  corn  was  ripe."  * 

The  question  naturally  arises,  How  was  it  possible 
that  the  colonists  should  find  themselves  in  a  state  of 
such  utter  destitution,  in  a  country  so  overflowing 
with  abundance  as  Mr.  Winslow's  letter  has  described, 
where  the  forests  were  filled  with  game  and  the  waters 
with  fish.  We  will  allow  Mr.  Winslow  himself  to 
reply  to  this  question. 

"  I  answer,  everything  must  be  expected  in  its  pro- 
per season.  No  man,  as  one  saith,  will  go  into  an  orch- 

*  History  of  Plymouth  Plantation,  by  William  Bradford,  p.  127. 
9 


194  MILES   STANDISH. 

ard  in  the  winter  to  gather  cherries.  So  he  that  looks 
for  fowl  there,  in  the  summer,  will  be  disappointed. 
The  time  they  continue  plenty  with  us  is  from  the  be- 
ginning of  October  to  the  end  of  March.  But  these 
extremities  befell  us  in  May  and  June.  I  confess  that 
as  the  fowl  decrease,  so  fish  increase.  And,  indeed, 
their  increasing  abundance  was  a  great  cause  of  in- 
creasing our  wants.  For,  though  our  bays  and  creeks 
were  full  of  bass  and  other  fish,  yet,  for  want  of  fit 
and  strong  seines,  and  other  netting,  they  for  the  most 
part  broke  through,  and  carried  all  away  before  them. 
And,  though  the  sea  were  full  of  cod,  yet  we  had 
neither  tackling  nor  hawsers  for  our  shallops.  And, 
indeed,  had  we  not  been  in  a  place  where  divers  sorts 
of  shell  fish  are.  that  may  be  taken  with  the  hand,  we 
must  have  perished,  unless  God  had  raised  some  un- 
known or  extraordinary  means  for  our  preservation."  * 

Mr.  Winslow,  upon  his  return  from  the  fishing 
fleet,  found  the  colony  in  great  weakness.  The  hos- 
tile Indians  were  not  blind  to  this.  The  massacre  in 
Virginia  had  roused  their  savage  natures,  and  many 
insulting  speeches,  by  them,  were  reported  to  the 
English.  Even  Massasoit  was  disposed  to  frown,  be- 
ing sorely  displeased  at  their  refusal  to  surrender 
Squantum,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 

The  menaces  of  war  had  become  so  serious  that 

*  Young's  Chronicles  of  the  Pilgrims,  p.  295. 


THE  WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  195 

Captain  Standish  deemed  it  necessary  immediately  to 
increase  and  strengthen  their  fortifications.  They  at 
once  set  to  work  to  build  a  strong  fort  upon  Burial 
Hill,  within  the  limits  of  their  palisades.  It  consisted 
of  a  large,  square  building,  with  a  strong  flat  roof, 
made  of  thick  planks,  supported  by  oaken  beams. 
Upon  this  roof  they  placed  their  cannon,  command- 
ing all  the  approaches.  The  large  room  below  served 
them  for  a  church.  Their  mode  of  assembling  for 
public  worship  is  described  by  Isaac  de  Rassieres,  who 
visited  Plymouth  in  1627: 

"  They  assemble,"  he  writes,  "  by  beat  of  drum, 
each  with  his  musket  or  firelock,  in  front  of  Captain 
Standish's  door.  They  have  their  cloaks  on,  and 
place  themselves  in  order,  three  abreast,  and  are  led 
by  a  sergeant  without  beat  of  drum.  Behind  comes 
the  Governor,  in  a  long  robe.  Beside  him,  on  the 
right  hand,  comes  the  preacher,  with  his  cloak  on ; 
and  on  the  left  hand  the  Captain,  with  his  side  arms 
and  cloak  on,  and  with  a  small  cane  in  his  hand.  And 
so  they  march  in  good  order,  and  each  sets  his  arms 
clown  near  him." 

Early  in  July  two  trading  ships  from  London,  the 
Charity  and  the  Swan,  entered  Plymouth  harbor. 
These  ships  brought  fifty  or  sixty  emigrants,  who  in- 
tended to  settle  in  the  country  as  the  agents  of  a  com- 
pany in  England.  It  was  their  object  to  establish  a 


196  MILES   STANDISH. 

colony  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  The  expedition 
was  fitted  out  by  Mr.  Thomas  Weston,  a  wealthy 
merchant  in  London,  and  hence  the  new-comers  were 
generally  called  Weston's  men.  Many  of  them  were 
utterly  devoid  of  principle,  profane  and  profligate. 
Mr.  Cushr^an  wrote  in  reference  to  them  : 

"  They  are  no  men  for  us,  and  I  fear  that  they  will 
hardly  deal  so  well  with  the  savages  as  they  should. 
I  pray  you,  therefore,  to  signify  to  Squantum  that 
they  are  a  distinct  body  from  us,  and  we  have  nothing 
to  do  with  them,  nor  must  be  blamed  for  their  faults, 
much  less  can  warrant  their  fidelity." 

Mr.  John  Pierce  wrote  respecting  them  :  "  As  for 
Mr.  Weston's  company,  they  are  so  base  in  condition 
for  the  most  part,  as  in  all  appearance  not  fit  for  an 
honest  man's  company.  I  wish  they  might  prove 
otherwise." 

At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  these  rude  and  hun- 
gry adventurers,  the  Pilgrims  had  their  gardens  filled 
with  growing  vegetables,  and  they  had  sixty  acres 
planted  with  corn,  just  then  in  the  green  ear.  At 
that  time,  when  boiled  or  roasted,  it  made  very  pal- 
ateable  food.  But  it  was  wasteful  to  use  it  in  that 
state  unless  there  were  great  abundance.  When  ri- 
pened it  contained  much  more  nutriment,  and  would 
go  much  farther  in  feeding  the  hungry.  But  these 
wretched  men,  though  received  hospitably  by  the 


THE   WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  197 

Pilgrims,  and  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness,  re- 
quited them  by  robbing  their  gardens  and  their  corn- 
field. Their  little  growing  harvest  was  thus  most 
cruelly  wasted.  Indeed  these  godless  wretches 
seemed  wantonly  to  destroy  the  growing  crop.  Hav- 
ing no  religion  of  their  own,  and  only  a  God  to  swear 
by,  they  insulted,  with  oaths  and  ribald  jests,  those 
devout  men,  who  daily  looked  in  prayer  to  God  for 
guidance,  and  whose  voices  were  often  blended  in 
Christian  hymns. 

The  Pilgrims  seem  to  have  been  more  grieved  in 
view  of  the  influence  the  conduct  of  these  men  would 
exert  upon  the  savages,  than  by  the  outrages  to  which 
they  themselves  were  exposed.  Mr.  Winslow  wrote  : 

"  Nevertheless,  for  their  master's  sake,  who  for- 
merly had  deserved  well  from  us,  *  we  continued  to 
do  them  whatever  good  or  furtherance  we  could,  at- 
tributing these  things  to  the  want  of  confidence  and 
discretion,  expecting  each  day  when  God,  in  his  prov- 
idence, would  disburden  us  of  them,  sorrowing  tha.t 
their  overseers  were  not  of  more  ability  and  fitness 
for  their  places,  and  much  fearing  what  would  be  the 
issue  of  such  raw  and  unconscionable  beginnings."  f 

The  Charity,  which  was  the  larger  ship,  having 
put  these  men  ashore,  continued  her  voyage  to  Vir- 

*  Mr.  Weston  had  formerly  befriended  the  plantation  at  Plymouth. 
f  Winslow  in  Young,  p.  297. 


1 98  MILES  STANDISH. 

ginia.  The  rabble  crew  remained,  an  almost  intoler- 
able burden  upon  the  Pilgrims,  during  nearly  all  the 
summer.  An  expedition  was  fitted  out  to  explore 
Massachusetts  Bay,  in  search  of  a  suitable  location 
for  Mr.  Weston's  colony.  The  expedition  at  length 
returned,  recommending  a  place  in  Boston  harbor, 
called  by  the  Indians  Wessagusset,  but  to  which  the 
name  of  Weymouth  was  subsequently  given. 

Inexpressible  was  the  satisfaction  of  the  Pilgrims 
when  they  saw  these  miscreants  take  their  departure. 
They  however  left  behind  them  quite  a  number  of 
sick  persons,  whom  the  Pilgrims  nursed  with  true 
Christian  benevolence,  placing  them  under  the  care 
of  their  own  skilful  physician,  Dr.  Fuller,  and,  as 
they  recovered,  sending  them,  without  any  charge,  to 
their  own  distant  colony. 

But  immediately  after  these  men  landed  at  Wey- 
mouth, complaints  came  to  the  ears  of  the  Pilgrims 
of  innumerable  acts  of  violence  and  injustice  which 
they  were  perpetrating.  They  stole  the  corn  of  the 
Indians,  insulted  their  females  in  the  grossest  man- 
ner, and  in  all  things  seemed  to  regard  the  Indians  as 
not  entitled  to  any  rights  which  white  men  were 
bound  to  respect.  The  Pilgrims  were  the  more  an- 
noyed by  these  atrocities,  since  the  Indians,  disposed 
to  be  friendly,  had  entreated  Captain  Standish  to  es- 
tablish a  colony  of  white  men  in  their  country,  who 


THE   WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  199 

could  teach  them  many  arts,  and  to  whom  they  could 
sell  their  corn  and  furs.  Their  outrages,  reported 
from  tribe  to  tribe,  tended  also  to  exasperate  every- 
where the  undiscriminating  Indians  against  the  Eng- 
lish. But  the  Pilgrims  had  no  power  to  redress  these 
abuses.  They  remonstrated  earnestly ;  but  their  re- 
monstrances were  in  vain.  The  outrages  were  con- 
tinued unabated. 

The  Weston  men  had  brought  scarcely  any  sup- 
plies with  them.  Before  a  month  had  passed  they 
were  actually  in  a  starving  condition.  They  had  no 
harvest  to  gather  in  ;  winter  was  coming  upon  them, 
and  death  by  famine  stared  them  in  the  face.  To  add 
to  their  misery,  anarchy  reigned  there,  and  the  colony 
consisted  of  a  rabble  of  profane,  ungovernable  men, 
in  constant  quarrels  among  themselves.  These  men 
had  also  so  wasted  and  consumed  the  supplies  upon 
which  the  industrious  Pilgrims  had  been  relying  for 
the  winter,  that  the  Plymouth  colony  was  also  in  great 
danger  of  perishing  from  want. 

When  in  this  alarming  condition,  and  when  the 
minds  of  the  Pilgrims  were  agitated  with  great  anxiety 
in  view  of  the  future,  two  ships,  at  the  end  of  August, 
came  into  Plymouth  harbor.  One  of  them,  the  Dis- 
covery, was  commanded  by  Captain  Jones,  formerly 
of  the  Mayflower.  The  other  was  one  of  Mr.  Weston's 
small  fishing  vessels,  the  Swan,  which  had  returned 


20O  MILES   STANDISH. 

from  a  fishing  expedition,  and  was  bound  for  Virginia 
Providentially,  Captain  Jones  had  quite  a  large  sup- 
ply of  provisions.  He  had  never  been  in  cordial  sym- 
pathy with  the  Pilgrims,  and  now  he  very  ungen- 
erously took  advantage  of  their  great  necessities. 
Though  the  Pilgrims  were  consequently  compelled  to 
pay  an  exorbitant  price  for  everything  they  obtained 
of  him,  still  they  were  enabled  to  purchase  such  sup- 
plies as  would  save  them  from  actual  starvation.  Mr. 
Winslow  writes  : 

"And  had  not  the  Almighty,  in  His  all-ordering 
providence,  directed  him  to  us,  it  would  have  gone 
worse  with  us  than  ever  it  had  been,  or  after  was. 
For  as  we  had  now  but  small  store  of  corn  for  the 
year  following,  so,  for  want  of  supply,  we  were  worn 
out  of  all  manner  of  trucking  stuff,  not  having  any 
means  to  help  us  by  trade.  But,  through  God's  good 
mercy  towards  us,  he  had  wherewith,  and  did  supply 
our  wants,  on  that  kind,  competently."  * 

In  consequence  of  the  destitution  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ton's  colony  at  Wey mouth,  the  Swan  was  sent  there, 
with  a  considerable  supply  of  provisions,  and  with  ar- 
ticles to  trade  with  the  Indians  in  exchange  for  corn. 
The  Swan  was  also  left  with  the  colony,  to  be  used 
for  coasting  purposes.  But  not  a  month  had  passed 
before  these  reckless  spendthrifts  had  squandered  all 

*  Young's  Chronicles ;  p.  299. 


THE  WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  2OI 

their  provisions,  and  were  again  starving.  And  they 
were  in  such  poor  repute  with  the  Indians  that  none 
dared  venture  into  the  colony  with  corn  to  sell,  lest 
they  should  be  robbed. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  John  Sanders  was  the 
leading  man,  a  sort  of  governor  over  the  Weymouth 
colony.  He  wrote  to  Governor  Bradford,  wishing  to 
unite  with  him  in  an  excursion  along  the  eastern  and 
southern  coast  of  Cape  Cod,  to  purchase  corn  of  the 
Indians.  He  would  furnish  the  vessel  for  the  voyage, 
the  Swan,  but  the  colony  at  Plymouth  must  furnish 
the  men  to  trade  with  the  Indians  and  the  articles  for 
traffic.  The  corn  was  to  be  equally  divided  between 
them.  He  promised  to  repay  the  Pilgrims  for  such 
trading  commodities  as  they  should  contribute,  when 
the  next  supplies  came  from  Mr.  Weston. 

The  promises  of  such  a  man  were  of  but  little 
value.  The  Weymouth  colony  was  already  in  a  hope- 
lessly ruinous  condition.  But  the  Pilgrims  were  well 
aware  that  they  were  daily  in  danger  of  an  irruption 
of  the  whole  vagabond  gang  to  eat  out  their  sub- 
stance, and  to  fill  their  peaceful  village  with  clamor 
and  violence.  They  had  far  more  to  fear  from  these 
wretched  colonists  than  from  the  savages.  Policy 
therefore,  as  well  as  humanity,  urged  it  upon  them  to 
do  everything  in  their  power  to  supply  the  wants  of 
Weston's  men,  and  thus  keep  them  at  a  distance. 
9* 


202  MILES  STANDISH. 

Captain  Standish,  with  a  small  crew,  took  com« 
mand  of  the  Swan  for  this  trading  expedition  along 
the  outer  coast  of  Cape  Cod.  Squantum  accorru 
panied  them  as  interpreter  and  pilot.  They  had 
succeeded  in  reconciling  Massasoit  to  him.  They  set 
sail  the  latter  part  of  September.  But  so  violent  a 
gale  arose  that  they  were  compelled  to  put  back,  hav- 
ing suffered  considerable  harm.  It  took  some  time 
to  repair  damages,  when  again  they  weighed  anchor. 
Squantum  proved  a  very  poor  pilot.  They  were  en- 
tangled among  the  shoals,  and  retarded  by  contrary 
winds  ;  and,  to  add  to  their  calamities,  Captain  Stand- 
ish was  seized  with  a  violent  fever.  Thus  they  were 
compelled  a  second  time  to  put  back,  not  having  ac- 
complished anything. 

These  delays  brought  them  to  the  month  of  No- 
vember. The  captain  continuing  quite  sick,  Governor 
Bradford  himself  took  command  of  the  vessel.  The 
Governor  had  but  little  confidence  in  Squantum's 
knowledge  of  the  coast.  Still  he  had  to  look  to  him 
alone,  for  no  one  else  knew  anything  of  the  region. 
At  last,  much  bewildered  and  in  peril,  they  ran  into 
an  harbor  with  which  Squantum  was  familiar,  at  a 
place  called,  by  the  Indians,  Manamocki,  now  Chat- 
ham. 

The  Governor,  accompanied  by  a  small  party,  with 
Squantum  for  interpreter,  went  on  shore  that  night 


THE   WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  203 

But  no  Englishmen  had  visited  the  region  before,  and 
the  natives,  terrified  by  the  sight  of  the  vessel,  had 
fled.  Through  Squantum,  the  Governor  gradually 
succeeded  in  making  his  friendly  intentions  known, 
and  cautiously  they  gathered  around  him.  They 
brought  venison  and  corn  in  considerable  abundance, 
and  seemed  very  glad  to  exchange  them  for  the  val- 
uable articles  which  Governor  Bradford  offered  in  re- 
turn. Still  they  manifested  much  fear  of  their  visit- 
ors, and  were  very  unwilling  to  let  them  know  where 
their  dwellings  were.  And  when  they  found  that  the 
Governor  intended  to  remain  on  shore  all  night,  they 
suddenly  disappeared,  running  to  their  wigwams,  and 
carrying  all  their  valuables  away  with  them. 

Again,  through  the  intervention  of  Squantum,  con- 
fidence was  partially  restored.  The  Governor  was 
so  successful  in  his  trade  that  he  purchased  of  them, 
though  but  a  few  and  scattered  people,  eight  hogs- 
heads of  corn  and  beans.  Such  facts  seemed  to  in- 
dicate that  all  of  the  Indians  did  not  depend  so  much 
upon  the  chase  for  sustenance  as  has  generally  been 
supposed.  While  thus  engaged  Squantum  was  taken 
sick  of  a  fever,  and,  after  a  few  day's  illness,  died.  He 
was  heard  to  pray,  and  he  asked  Governor  Bradford 
to  pray  that  God  would  take  him  to  the  heaven  of  the 
Englishmen.  All  his  valuables  he  bequeathed  to  his 
English  friends,  as  remembrances  of  his  love.  His 


204  MILES   STANDISH. 

death  was  considered  a  great  loss  to  the  colony 
Judge  Davis,  commenting  upon  it,  writes : 

"  Governor  Bradford's  pen  was  worthily  employed 
in  the  tender  notice  of  the  death  of  this  child  of  na- 
ture. With  some  aberrations  his  conduct  was  gener- 
ally irreproachable  ;  and  his  useful  services  to  the  in- 
fant settlement  entitle  him  to  grateful  remembrance." 

The  death  of  Squantum  left  the  Governor  with- 
out either  pilot  or  interpreter.  He  did  not  venture, 
therefore,  to  go  any  further  south,  where  he  would 
encounte-  Enumerable  shoals,  and  where  he  would 
find  himself  among  strange  Indians.  These  consid- 
erations induced  him  to  turn  to  the  north.  He  was 
acquainted  with  the  waters  of  Massachusetts  Bay, 
and  the  Indians  residing  on  those  shores  were  in 
friendly  relations  with  the  Pilgrims.  Indeed,  they 
had  been  induced  to  plant  more  corn  than  usual,  that 
they  might  have  the  means  to  purchase  the  valuable 
articles  which  the  Pilgrims  could  offer  them  in  ex- 
change. 

With  a  fair  wind  they  soon  entered  Boston  harbor. 
Here  they  found,  to  their  grief,  a  fearful  pestilence 
raging  among  the  Indians,  and  many  of  them  were 
dying.  Bitter  complaints  were  also  brought  to  the 
Governor  respecting  the  Weymouth  colonists.  The 
Massachusetts  Indians  were  so  exasperated  by  the 
infamous  conduct  of  these  men,  that  they  were  plot- 


THE  WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  205 

ting  for  their  utter  extermination,  many  intending  to 
follow  up  the  massacre  of  the  Weymouth  colonists 
by  the  destruction  of  the  Plymouth  colony  also. 
They  were  in  no  mood  for  peaceful  traffic. 

The  Governor,  therefore,  speedily  weighed  anchor 
and  spread  his  sails  for  Nauset,  on  the  inner  shore 
of  Cape  Cod.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Pil- 
grims had  formerly  found  some  corn  stored  there, 
which,  in  their  great  need  they  took,  but  for  which 
they  afterwards  fully  paid  the  Indians.  Captain 
Standish  had  also  visited  the  region  hi  search  of  the 
lost  boy.  Aspinet,  the  chief  of  the  tribe,  residing 
there,  was  very  friendly.  They  landed  in  a  small  bay, 
between  Barnstable  and  Yarmouth  harbors.  They 
had  hardly  made  their  port  when  a  terrible  storm 
arose.  The  gale  was  so  furious  that,  notwithstanding 
their  shelter,  they  came  very  near  shipwreck.  The 
shallop,  attached  to  the  Swan,  was  torn  from  them 
and  driven  they  knew  not  where.  This  was  a  great 
calamity.  The  shoal  water  rendered  it  necessary  to 
cast  anchor  at  some  distance  from  the  shore,  accord- 
ing to  their  estimate  nearly  six  miles,  and  they  had 
now  no  means  of  bringing  on  board  such  provisions  as 
they  might  purchase.  They  had  indeed  one  small 
boat,  but  it  was  so  small  and  leaky  that  they  scarcely 
ventured  to  go  ashore  in  it,  even  in  the  most  pleasant 
weather,  for  wood  and  water. 


206  MILES   STANDISH. 

The  Governor,  however,  opened  a  very  successful 
trade  with  the  Indians.  He  seems  to  have  had  much 
confidence  in  their  honesty,  for,  having  purchased  a 
large  quantity  of  corn,  he  stored  it  away,  simply  cov- 
ering it  with  mats,  and  hired  a  neighboring  Indian  to 
watch  and  protect  it  from  vermin  till  he  could  return 
and  fetch  it.  In  the  meantime  ^Aspinet  had  sent  his 
men  to  traverse  the  shore  in  search  of  the  shallop, 
which  the  storm  had  wrenched  from  them.  It  was 
found  at  the  distance  of  several  miles,  much  broken, 
and  half  buried  in  the  sand  at  high  water  mark.  It 
was  entirely  unserviceable  until  it  should  be  repaired 
by  a  ship  carpenter,  and  there  was  no  carpenter  on 
board  the  Swan. 

The  Governor,  for  some  unexplained  reason,  de- 
cided to  return  to  Plymouth  by  land,  a  distance  of 
fifty  miles.  He  took  with  him  a  single  Indian  guide, 
and  traversing  the  wilderness  on  foot  through  the  In- 
dian trails,  reached  Plymouth  in  safety,  weary  and 
footsore.  The  Indians  on  the  way  treated  him  with 
great  respect  and  hospitality.  Three  days  after  his 
arrival  the  Swan  entered  the  harbor,  and  the  portion 
of  corn  she  had  brought,  which,  by  the  division,  be- 
longed to  the  Weymouth  colony,  was  immediately 
sent  in  the  vessel  to  them. 

Captain  Standish  having  now  recovered  his  health, 
took  another  shallop  and  a  ship  carpenter,  and  sailed 


THE   WEYMOUTH   COLONISTS.  2O/ 

in  the  Swan,  which  came  back  to  Plymouth  from 
Weymouth,  across  the  bay  to  Nauset,  to  fetch  the 
corn  which  they  had  stored  there,  and  to  repair  and 
bring  home  the  wrecked  shallop.  He  found  all  safe. 
While  the  carpenter  was  repairing  the  shallop,  he  was 
busy  with  the  other  boat,  transporting  the  corn  out 
to  the  vessel,  which,  as  we  have  mentioned,  it  was 
necessary  to  anchor  at  quite  a  distance  from  the 
shore. 

It  was  the  month  of  January,  cold  and  stormy. 
The  exposure  and  the  labor  were  painful,  for  often  the 
sea  was  very  rough.  The  coast  of  Eastham,  off  which 
the  Swan  lay,  abounds  with  creeks.  Into  one  of 
these  the  shallop  ran  to  take  in  its  load.  While  in 
the  creek  one  day,  an  Indian  stole  some  beads,  scis- 
sors, and  other  trifles  from  the  boat.  Captain  Stand- 
ish  took  one  or  two  of  his  men  with  him, -and  going 
to  the  sachem,  demanded  the  restitution  of  the  arti- 
cles, or  he  should  take  the  law  into  his  own  hands 
and  obtain  redress.  With  this  menace  he  left  the 
chief,  refusing  to  receive  any  hospitality  from  him. 
It  so  happened  that  the  thief  was  known,  and  the  sa- 
chem could,  without  difficulty,  restore  the  stolen  arti- 
cles, were  he  disposed  to  do  so. 

The  next  morning  Aspinet  came  to  Captain 
Standish  with  a  very  imposing  retinue.  Both  he  and 
his  men  saluted  the  Captain,  in  the  style  of  Indian 


208  MILES   STANDISH. 

homage,  kissing  his  hand,  indeed  licking  it,  and  bow> 
ing  the  knee  very  humbly  before  him.  He  then  de- 
livered up  all  the  articles  which  had  been  taken,  ex- 
pressed his  deep  regret  at  the  occurrence,  and  assured 
Captain  Standish  that  the  thief  had  been  severely 
beaten  for  his  crime.  In  token  of  his  regret  and 
friendship,  the  Indian  women  were  ordered  to  bring 
to  the  Captain  quite  a  supply  of  freshly-baked  corn 
bread. 

The  Swan  returned  to  Plymouth  with  about  twen- 
ty-eight hogsheads  of  corn  and  beans,  which  were 
equally  divided  between  the  two  colonies,  as  before. 
In  the  two  colonies  there  were  now  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  hungry  mouths  to  be  fed.  Of  course 
such  a  supply  would  soon  disappear.  It  became  im- 
mediately necessary  to  fit  out  new  expeditions  in 
search  of  food. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Sickness  of  Massasoit  and  End  of  the  Weymouth 
Colony. 

Search  for  Corn. — Trip  to  Buzzard's  Bay. — Interesting  Incident. — 
Energy  and  Sagacity  of  Captain  Standish. — Hostile  Indications. 
Insolence  of  Witeewamat. — The  Plot  Defeated. — Sickness  of 
Massasoit. — The  Visit. — Gratitude  of  the  Chief. — Visit  to  Corbi- 
tant. — Condition  of  the  Weymouth  Colony. — The  Widespread 
Coalition. — Military  Expedition  of  Captain  Standish. — His  Heroic 
Adventures. — End  of  the  Weymouth  Colony. 

The  Governor  soon  took  one  or  two  men  and  went 
to  Middleborough,  the  Namasket  of  the  Indians,  to 
purchase  corn.  It  all  had  to  be  brought  home  in 
sacks  upon  the  back.  The  Indian  women  aided  in 
transporting  it.  The  Pilgrims  were  astonished  to  see 
what  burdens  they  would  bear.  "  It  is  almost  incred- 
ible," writes  Roger  Williams,  v  what  burdens  the  poor 
women  carry  of  corn,  of  fish,  of  beans,  of  mats,  and  a 
child  besides."  An  Indian  woman,  of  small  stature, 
wbuld  take  a  hundred  weight  of  corn  upon  her  shoul- 
ders and  trudge  through  the  wilderness  for  miles 
without  resting.  But  a  small  supply  of  corn  could  be 
obtained  at  Namasket. 

The  Governor  then  took  an  inland  trip  of  sixty 
miles  to  an  Indian  settlement  called  Manomet,  at  the 


210  MILES   STANDISH. 

head  of  Buzzard's  Bay.  The  distance  across  the  cape 
here  to  Massachusetts  Bay  is  but  six  miles.  They 
could,  after  that  short  land  carriage,  by  an  easy  voy- 
age in  the  boats,  transport  their  corn  to  Plymouth. 
Here  the  Governor  purchased  quite  a  supply,  which 
he  left  in  the  custody  of  the  sachem,  Canacum,  until 
the  boats  could  be  sent  to  fetch  it.  While  here,  an 
incident  occurred  which  is  worthy  of  record,  as  illus- 
trative of  Indian  customs  : 

It  was  the  month  of  February.  The  night  was 
bitterly  cold,  a  fierce  storm  raging.  The  Governor 
was  in  the  snug  wigwam  of  the  sachem,  sitting  by  the 
bright  fire  blazing  in  the  centre  of  the  hut.  Two 
stranger  Indians  entered.  Without  speaking  a  word 
they  laid  aside  their  bows  and  arrows,  sat  down  upon 
the  mats  by  the  fire,  took  out  their  pipes  and  began 
to  smoke.  Having  finished  their  pipes,  one  of  them 
made  a  short  address  of  greeting  to  the  chief,  and 
presented  him  with  a  basket  containing  tobacco  and 
some  beads.  The  chief  received  the  gift  graciously. 
The  Indian  then,  in  quite  a  long  speech,  delivered  his 
message,  which  was  interpreted  to  the  Governor  by 
Hobbomak.  It  was  as  follows  : 

Two  Indians  of  the  tribe  to  which  the  messengers 
belonged,  while  gambling,  quarrelled,  and  one  killed 
the  other.  The  murderer  was  a  man  of  special  note, 
and  one  who  could  not  be  well  spared.  His  chief 


SICKNESS   OF  MASSASOIT.  211 

was  unwilling  to  order  his  execution.  But  the  sachem 
of  another  powerful  tribe  had  declared  that  unless  he 
put  the  offender  to  death  he  would  wage  war  against 
him  with  all  his  force.  The  chief  therefore  desired 
the  advice  of  his  powerful  friend,  Canacum,  as  to  the 
course  it  was  proper  for  him  to  pursue. 

There  was  then,  for  some  time,  silence.  At  length 
Canacum  asked  the  opinion  of  all  who  were  present. 
When  Hobbomak  was  questioned,  he  said :  "  I  am  a 
stranger ;  but  it  seems  to  me  better  that  one  should 
die  than  many,  especially  since  that  one  deserves 
death,  and  the  many  are  innocent."  Canacum  then 
directed  the  messengers  to  inform  their  sachem  that 
in  his  opinion  the  murderer  should  be  put  to  death. 

The  Governor  returned  to  Plymouth,  intending  to 
send  Captain  Standish  in  the  shallop,  to  fetch  the 
corn  which  he  had  purchased.  Just  after  his  arrival, 
a  messenger  came  from  John  Sanders,  in  Weymouth, 
stating  that  the  colonists  there  were  actually  in  a 
starving  condition;  that  they  could  obtain  no  corn 
from  the  Indians,  as  the  Indians  would  not  lend  it  to 
them,  and  that  they  had  no  means  of  buying.  Under 
these  circumstances  he  said  that  he  should  be  under 
the  necessity  of  taking  it  from  them  by  force.  Weak 
as  the  colonists  were,  by  the  aid  of  powder  and  bul- 
lets, they  could,  without  difficulty,  rob  the  compara. 
lively  defenceless  Indians.  The  Governor  remon- 


212  MILES   STANDISH. 

strated  in  the  strongest  terms  against  this  plan  of  rob- 
bery. He  assured  Sanders  that  such  an  act  would 
inevitably  combine  all  the  tribes  in  a  coalition  against 
both  colonies,  and  might  lead  to  the  utter  extirpation 
of  the  English  from  this  continent.  From  his  own 
scanty  store  of  corn  he  sent  to  Weymouth  a  small 
supply,  entreating  them  to  make  shift  to  live,  as  they 
did  at  Plymouth,  upon  ground-nuts,  clams,  and  mus- 
cles. 

In  the  mean  time,  Captain  Standish  took  the  shal- 
lop and  sailed  to  Sandwich  harbor,  to  get  the  corn 
which  the  Governor  had  purchased  and  ordered  to  be 
stored  there.  It  was  in  the  severest  of  winter  weather. 
Icy  gales  swept  the  ocean,  and  dashed  the  surge  upon 
the  snow-drifted  beach.  They  succeeded  in  entering 
the  harbor,  but  the  first  night  they  were  frozen  up 
there.  The  outrageous  conduct  of  the  Weymouth 
colonists,  and  the  threats  which  they  had  openly  ut- 
tered of  their  intention  to  rob  the  Indians,  had  spread 
far  and  wide,  producing  great  exasperation  ;  and  the 
natives  who  were  adverse  to  the  colonists  were  taking 
advantage  of  it  to  form  a  general  coalition  against 
them. 

Captain  Standish,  upon  landing,  perceived  at  once 
that  there  was  a  change  coming  over  the  minds  of 
the  Indians.  The  friendliness  they  affected  appeared 
to  him  constrained  and  insincere.  He  was  frozen  in, 


SICKNESS   OF  MASSASOIT.  213 

and  large  numbers  of  Indians  began  to  gather  around 
him,  some  manifestly  unfriendly ;  and  there,  were  not 
a  few  indications  that  a  conspiracy  was  being  formed 
for  his  destruction.  The  weather  was  so  cold  that 
the  Pilgrims  could  not  sleep  in  the  shallop,  but  were 
constrained  to  accept  the  shelter  and  the  fires  found 
in  the  Indian  wigwams. 

The  captain  was  not  a  man  to  be  taken  by  guile. 
Avoiding  all  display  of  his  suspicions,  he  gave  strict 
charge  that  a  part  of  the  company  should  always 
watch  by  night  while  the  rest  slept.  Some  of  the 
Indians  stole  several  articles  from  the  boat.  Captain 
Standish  immediately  marched  his  whole  force  of  six 
men,  and  surrounded  the  wigwam  of  the  sachem, 
where  many  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  Indians 
were  assembled.  He  then  sent  in  word  to  the  sachem 
that  as  he  would  not  allow  himself,  or  any  of  his  men, 
to  be  guilty  of  the  slightest  injustice  towards  the  In- 
dians, neither  would  he  submit  to  any  injustice  from 
them ;  that  he  held  the  sachem  responsible  for  the 
stolen  goods,  and  that  unless  they  were  immediately 
restored  he  should  obtain  redress  by  force  of  arms. 

The  crafty  sachem  sent  agents  who,  without  diffi- 
culty, obtained  the  goods  and  secretly  conveyed  them 
to  the  shallop.  He  then  told  Captain  Standish  that 
probably  he  had  overlooked  them,  and  he  thought 
that  if  he  should  look  more  carefully  he  would  find 


214  MILES  STANDISII. 

that  they  were  all  there.  The  captain,  understanding 
this,  sent  to  the  shallop,  and  there  the  stolen  goods 
were,  lying  openly  upon  the  boat's  cuddy.  The  sachem 
however  was  much  alarmed  by  this  decision  and  bold- 
ness manifested  by  the  captain.  In  endeavors  to  win 
back  his  favor  he  brought  to  him  quite  an  additional 
quantity  of  corn  to  sell.  The  captain  loaded  down 
his  shallop  with  the  treasure ;  and,  a  southerly  wind 
freeing  the  harbor  of  ice,  he  returned  in  safety  to 
Plymouth. 

A  portion  of  this  supply  was  forwarded  to  Wey- 
mouth.  It  soon,  however,  was  consumed,  and,  im- 
pelled by  want,  in  March,  Captain  Standish  again 
took  the  shallop  and  returned  to  Manomet,  hoping  to 
get  an  additional  supply  of  food.  He  met  with  a 
chilling  reception,  and  with  increasing  evidence  that 
the  Indians  were  plotting  against  the  colonists.  He 
soon  found  the  explanation  of  this.  Leaving  three 
men  in  charge  of  the  shallop,  he  took  three  with  him, 
and  went  to  the  wigwam  of  Canacum,  the  sachem. 
While  there,  two  Massachusett  Indians  came  in.  They 
were  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Weymouth,  vio- 
lent and  hostile  men,  and  had  come  to  Canucum  to 
engage  him  and  his  warriors  in  a  coalition  against  the 
English. 

"  The  chief  of  them,"  writes  Mr.  Winslow,  "  was 
called  Wituwamat,  a  notable  insulting  villain,  one  who 


SICKNES6   OF   MASSASOIT.  215 

had  formerly  imbued  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  Eng- 
lish and  French,  and  had  often  boasted  of  his  own 
valor,  and  derided  their  weakness,  especially  because, 
as  he  said,  they  died  crying,  making  sour  faces,  more 
like  children  than  men." 

This  boastful  fellow,  in  the  presence  of  Captain 
Slandish,  presented  Canacum  with  a  dagger,  which 
he  had  obtained  from  the  Weymouth  men.  He  then 
addressed  him  in  a  long  speech,  in  a  language  which 
he  knew  that  the  Captain  could  not  understand,  but 
in  a  tone  and  with  gestures  which  could  not  but  be 
considered  insulting.  The  purport  of  this  address, 
as  afterwards  interpreted,  was  as  follows  : 

We  have  decided  to  exterminate  the  weak  and 
starving  colony  at  Weymouth.  We  are  strong  enough 
to  do  it  any  day.  But  we  fear  that  the  colony  at 
Plymouth  will  avenge  the  death  of  their  countrymen. 
It  is  therefore  necessary  to  destroy  both  colonies. 
To  do  this  we  must  unite  our  tribes  against  them. 
We  now  come  to  solicit  your  aid.  The  redoubtable 
Captain  of  the  Plymouth  colony  is  now  with  you,  with 
six  of  his  men.  They  can  all  easily  be  killed.  This 
will  make  our  work  easy.  * 

Canacum  was  evidently  impressed  by  this  speech. 
He  neglected  Captain  Standish,  and  treated  his  In>- 
dian  guest  with  marked  distinction.  A  plot  was 


*  Young's  Chronicles,  p.  310. 


2l6  MILES   STANDISH. 

formed  for  the  assassination  of  the  whole  boat's  crew. 
The  Indians  stood  in  deadly  fear  of  the  muskets  of 
the  English,  and  did  not  dare  approach  the  shallop 
with  hostile  intent.  The  Captain  did  not  allow  any 
armed  men  to  draw  near  them.  The  Indians  tried  to 
lure  them  all  on  shore,  saying  that  it  was  too  cold  for 
them  to  sleep  in  the  shallop.  They  hoped  to  fall 
upon  them,  in  sudden  massacre,  while  asleep  in  the 
huts.  With  this  purpose  in  their  hearts  they  feigned 
great  friendship,  made  presents  to  Captain  Standish, 
and  with  alacrity  aided  in  carrying  corn  to  the  shal- 
lop. The  Captain  evaded  all  their  wiles,  and  a  fair 
wind  soon  bore  him  back  again  to  his  friends. 

While  he  was  absent,  word  came  to  Plymouth  that 
Massasoit  was  very  dangerously  sick,  and  that  his 
death  was  'daily  expected  ;  and  also  that  a  Dutch  ship 
had  been  driven  ashore  almost  opposite  his  dwelling. 
It  was  a  custom  with  the  Indians  that  when  any  chief 
was  sick,  all  his  friends  should  hasten  to  visit  him. 
In  observance  of  this  custom,  and  also  to  obtain  some 
%ttercourse  with  the  Dutch,  and  hoping  also  to  secure 
the  friendship  of  the  neighboring  sachems,  it  was  de- 
cided that  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr.  Hampden,  with 
Hobbomak  as  a  guide,  should  visit  the  dying  chief  at 
his  home  in  Paomet. 

It  was  a  perilous  journey  in  the  then  unsettled 
state  of  affairs.  It  was  not  known  who  of  the  Indians 


SICKNESS   OF   MASSASOIT. 

were  friendly,  and  who  were  hostile.  The  death  of 
Massasoit  might  bring  the  hostile  party  into  power, 
and  then  there  would  be  hardly  a  possibility  that  the 
two  envoys  could  escape  with  their  lives.  Hobbomak, 
who  had  embraced  Christianity,  and  was  apparently  a 
consistent  Christian,  seemed  to  be  deeply  grieved  in 
view  of  the  death  of  his  chief.  He  said  to  Mr.  Winslow, 

"  I  shall  never  see  his  like  again.  He  was  no 
liar ;  he  was  not  bloody  and  cruel,  like  other  Indians. 
In  anger  and  passion  he  was  soon  reclaimed.  He 
was*  easy  to  be  reconciled  to  those  who  had  offended 
him.  Ruled  by  reason,  he  scorned  the  advice  of 
mean  men,  and  governed  his  people  better  with  few 
strokes  than  others  did  with  many.  When  he  is  gone 
the  English  will  not  have  a  true  and  faithful  friend 
left  among  the  Indians." 

Massasoit  had  two  sons,  Wamsutta  and  Pometa- 
com.  According  to  Indian  usage,  upon  the  death  of 
the  father,  the  eldest  son  inherited  the  chieftainship. 
But  it  was  feared  that  Corbitant,  who  had  already 
manifested  hostility,  and  in  whose  assumed  reconcili-' 
ation  but  little  reliance  could  be  placed,  would  by 
violence  grasp  the  power,  and  bring  the  whole  weight 
of  the  tribe  against  the  colonists. 

The  deputation  traveled  the  first  day  as  far  as  the 
little  Indian  hamlet  of  Namasket,  which,  it  will  be 
remembered,  occupied  the  present  site  of  Middlebor- 


21 8  MILES   STANDISH. 

ough.  They  passed  the  night  in  the  wigwam  of  an 
Indian.  The  next  day  they  continued  their  journey 
to  Mattapoisit,  in  the  present  town  of  Swanzey.  Here 
Corbitant  resided.  The  rumor  had  already  reached 
them  that  Massasoit  was  dead.  There  were  indica- 
tions that  Corbitant  had  already  taken  steps  as  an 
usurper,  and  there  were  serious  apprehensions  that 
the  two  defenceless  Englishmen  would  immediately 
fall  victims  to  his  hostile  policy. 

The  two  envoys,  however,  to  avoid  all  appearance 
of  suspicion,  went  directly  to  Corbitant's  house.  The 
sachem  was  not  at  home,  but  his  wife  received  them 
kindly.  They  sent  forward  an  Indian  runner  to  Pao- 
met,  to  bring  them  back  tidings  respecting  the  condi- 
tion of  Massasoit.  He  returned  with  the  tidings 
that  the  chief  was  still  living  when  he  left,  but  was 
expected  every  moment  to  die.  They  hurried  on,  and 
reached  Paomet  late  at  night.  In  the  following  terms 
Mr.  Winslow  describes  his  visit  to  the  dying  chief: 

"  When  we  came  thither  we  found  the  house  so 
full  of  men  as  we  could  scarce  get  in,  though  they 
used  their  best  diligence  to  make  way  for  us.  There 
were  they  in  the  midst  of  their  charms  for  him,  mak- 
ing such  a  hellish  noise  as  it  distempered  us  that  were 
well,  and  therefore  unlike  to  ease  him  that  was  sick. 
About  him  were  six  or  eight  women,  who  chafed  his 
arms,  legs  and  thighs,  to  keep  heat  in  him.  When 


SICKNESS   OF  MASSASOIT.  2 19 

they  had  made  an  end  of  their  charming,  one  told 
him  that  his  friends,  the  English,  were  come  to  see 
him.  Having  understanding  left,  but  his  sight  being 
wholly  gone,  he  asked  who  was  come.  They  told  him 
Winsnow,  for  they  cannot  pronounce  the  letter  /,  but 
ordinarily  n  in  the  place  thereof.  He  desired  to  speak 
with  me.  When  I  came  to  him,  and  they  told  him  of 
it,  he  put  forth  his  hand  to  me,  which  I  took.  Then 
he  said  twice,  though  very  inwardly,  Keen  Winsnow, 
which  is  to  say,  Art  thou  Winslow?  I  answered, 
Ah  he,  that  is,  Yes.  Then  he  doubled  these  words, 
Mat  fa  neen  wonckanet  namen,  Winsnow!  that  is  to 
say,  O  Winslow,  I  shall  never  see  thee  again."  * 

Mr.  Winslow  then  informed  the  dying  chief, 
through  Habbomak,  that  the  Governor  was  sorry  to 
hear  of  his  sickness,  and  would  have  visited  him  in 
person  had  not  important  business  prevented ;  that 
he  had  consequently  sent  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr. 
Hampden  in  his  stead,  with  such  medicines  as  the 
English  used  in  case  of  sickness.  Mr.  Winslow  ad- 
ministered these  medicines,  which  proved  so  wonder- 
fully efficacious  that  soon  his  patient  quite  revived, 
his  sight  was  restored,  and  he  was  able  to  take  some 
refreshing  broth.  All  the  Indians  were  surprised 
and  delighted  by  the  change.  Two  Indians  were 
sent  to  Plymouth  for  more  medicine,  and  foi  two 

*  Young's  Chronicles,  p.  318. 


22O  MILES  STANDISH. 

chickens  for  broth.  They  were  dispatched  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  bearing  letters  informing  the 
Governor  of  the  success  of  their  mission.  Mr.  Wins- 
low  gives  the  following  account  of  his  medical  prac- 
tice on  this  important  occasion  : 

"  He  requested  me  that,  the  day  following,  I  would 
take  my  piece  and  kill  him  some  fowl,  and  make  him 
some  English  pottage,  such  as  he  had  eaten  at  Ply- 
mouth. After,  his  stomach  coming,  I  must  needs 
make  him  some  without  fowl,  before  I  went  abroad. 
This  somewhat  troubled  me,  being  unacquainted  and 
unaccustomed  in  such  business,  especially  having 
nothing  to  make  it  comfortable,  my  consort  being  as 
ignorant  as  myself.  But  being  we  must  do  somewhat, 
I  caused  a  woman  to  bruise  some  corn  and  take  the 
flour  from  it,  and  set  over  the  broken  corn  in  a  pip- 
kin, for  they  have  earthen  pots  of  all  sizes. 

"  When  the  day  broke  we  went  out,  it  being  now 
March,  to  seek  herbs,  but  could  not  find  any  but 
strawberry  leaves,  of  which  I  gathered  a  handful  and 
put  into  the  same.  And  because  I  had  nothing  to 
relish  it,  I  went  forth  again  and  pulled  up  a  sassafras 
root,  and  sliced  a  piece  thereof  and  boiled  it  till  it  had 
a  good  relish,  and  then  took  it  out  again.  The  broth 
being  boiled,  I  strained  it  through  my  handkerchief, 
and  gave  him  at  least  a  pint,  which  he  liked  very  well. 
Aftei  this  his  sight  mended  more  and  more ;  and  he 


SICKNESS   OF  MASSASOIT.  221 

took  some  rest,  insomuch  that  we  with  admiration 
blessed  God  for  giving  his  blessing  to  such  raw  and 
ignorant  means ;  making  no  doubt  of  his  recovery, 
himself  and  all  of  them  acknowledging  us  the  instru- 
ments of  his  preservation."  * 

The  grateful  chief  requested  Mr.  Winslow  to  visit 
all  the  sick  in  his  village,  and  to  administer  to  them 
the  same  remedies  which  had  been  so  available  in  his 
case.  With  true  Christian  philanthropy  Mr.  Winslow 
undertook  this  task,  finding  it  needful  to  perform 
many  revolting  offices,  from  which  he  did  not  shrink. 
With  the  utmost  tenderness  he  watched  the  fluctua- 
tions of  the  disease  of  the  king,  and  administered 
remedies  apparently  with  much  intuitive  skill.  Hav- 
ing succeeded  in  shooting  a  duck,  just  before  the 
men  returned  with  the  pigeons,  Massasoit  decided  to 
preserve  them  alive  for  breed.  His  recovery  excited 
so  much  astonishment  that  many  persons  came  a  hun- 
dred miles  to  see  him.  Great  efforts  had  been  made 
by  the  hostile  Indians  to  prejudice  him  against  the 
English,  and  to  induce  him  to  join  their  coalition. 

"  Now  I  see,"  he  said,  "  that  the  English  are  my 
friends,  and  love  me.  And  whilst  I  live  I  will  never 
forget  this  kindness  they  have  showed  me.  They 
have  been  more  kind  to  me  than  any  others  have 
been." 

*  Young's  Chronicles,  p  320. 


222  MILES   STANDISH. 

As  Mr.  Winslow  was  leaving,  Massasoit  called 
Hobbomak  privately  to  him,  one  or  two  of  his  war- 
riors only  being  present,  and  informed  him  in  full  of 
the  plot  of  the  Massachusetts  Indians  to  destroy  the 
Weston  colony,  and  then  to  attack  that  at  Plymouth. 
He  mentioned  seven  tribes  who  were  united  with 
them  in  the  coalition,  among  others  mentioning  some 
who  were  making  loud  professions  of  friendship.  He 
said  that  he  had  been  earnestly  solicited  to  join  them, 
but  that  he  would  not  do  so,  neither  would  he  allow 
any  of  the  tribes  under  his  sway  to  make  any  hostile 
movement. 

Massasoit  advised  the  pilgrims,  through  Hobbo- 
mak, that  if  they  would  save  the  lives  of  their  country- 
men, they  should  immediately  put  to  death  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  Massachusetts  tribes  who  were  organ- 
izing this  formidable  conspiracy.  "  Say  to  them," 
said  he,  "that  they  often  say  that  they  will  never 
strike  the  first  blow.  But  if  they  wait  until  their 
countrymen  at  Weymouth  are  killed,  who  are  entirely 
unable  to  defend  themselves,  it  will  then  be  too  late 
for  them  to  protect  their  own  lives.  I  therefore  ad- 
vise them,  without  any  delay,  to  put  the  leaders  of 
this  plot  to  death.  Communicate  what  I  say  to  you 
to  Mr.  Winslow,  on  your  way  home,  that  he  may  re- 
late the  same  to  Governor  Bradford." 

Very  affectionately  the  two  parties  took  leave  of 


SICKNESS   OF   MASSASOIT.  223 

each  other.  The  envoys  were  disappointed  in  not 
meeting  the  Dutch  ;  but  the  day  before  their  arrival, 
a  high  tide  enabled  them  to  move  the  ship  from  the 
shoals,  upon  which  it  had  been  stranded,  and  they 
had  proceeded  on  their  voyage.  The  Pilgrims  called 
upon  Corbitant  on  their  return,  and  passed  the  night 
with  him.  He  received  them  with  great  apparent 
cordiality.  Mr.  Winslow  gives  the  following  pleasing 
account  of  the  visit. 

"  I  had  much  confidence  with  him ;  he  being  a 
notable  politician,  yet  full  of  merry  jests  and  quibs, 
and  never  better  pleased  than  when  the  like  are  re- 
turned upon  him.  Among  other  things  he  asked  me,  if 
in  case  he  were  thus  dangerously  sick,  as  Massasoit  had 
been,  and  should  send  word  thereof  to  Plymouth  for 
medicine,  whether  the  Governor  would  send  it ;  and 
if  he  would,  whether  I  would  come  therewith  to  him. 
To  both  which  I  answered,  yea ;  whereat  he  gave  me 
joyful  thanks. 

"After  that,  he  demanded  further  hyw  we  durst, 
being  but  two,  come  so  far  into  the  country.  I 
answered,  where  was  true  love  there  was  no  fear; 
and  my  heart  was  so  upright  towards  them  that, 
for  my  own  part,  I  was  fearless  to  come  amongst 
them. 

"  '  But,'  said  he, '  if  your  love  be  such,  and  it  bring 
forth  such  fruits,  how  cometh  it  to  pass  that  when 


224  MILES   STANDISH. 

we  come  to  Plymouth,  you  stand  upon  your  guard, 
with  the  mouths  of  your  pieces  presented  towards 
us.' 

"  Whereupon  I  answered  it  was  the  most  honora- 
ble and  respective  entertainment  we  could  give  them, 
it  being  an  order  amongst  us  so  to  receive  our  best 
respected  friends.  And  as  it  was  used  on  the  land, 
so  the  ships  also  observed  it  at  sea,  which  Hobbomak 
knew  and  had  seen  observed.  But,  shaking  his  head, 
he  answered  that  he  liked  not  such  salutations." 

Noticing  that  Mr.  Winslow  asked  a  blessing  upon 
his  food,  and  returned  thanks  after  partaking  of  it,  he 
asked  him  the  meaning  of  the  custom.  He  listened 
very  attentively  to  Mr.  Winslow's  account  of  the  ten 
commandments  and  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  ex- 
pressed his  cordial  approval  of  nearly  all.  The  next 
day  the  Pilgrims  continued  their  journey,  and  lodged 
that  night  at  Middleborough.  The  next  day,  when 
they  had  reached  about  half  way  home,  they  met  two 
Indians,  who  informed  them  that  Captain  Standish 
had  that  morning  set  sail  for  Massachusetts,  but  that 
contrary  winds  had  driven  him  back.  Upon  their 
arrival,  they  found  Captain  Standish  waiting  for  a  fair 
wind  to  resume  his  voyage. 

It  was  the  latter  part  of  February.  The  news 
from  the  Weston  colony  was  continually  becoming 
more  disastrous.  These  wretched  adventurers  were 


SICKNESS   OF   MASSASOIT.  22$ 

sinking  into  degradation  almost  beneath  that  of  the 
savages.  John  Sanders  had  taken  the  Swan,  and, 
with  a  small  crew,  had  sailed  for  the  coast  of  Maine, 
hoping  to  obtain  some  food  from  the  fishermen  there. 
The  religionless  rabble,  left  behind,  sold  their  clothes 
and  bed  coverings  for  food.  They  became  servants 
to  the  insolent  Indians,  cutting  wood  and  bringing 
water  to  them  for  a  cup  full  of  corn.  They  stole, 
night  and  day,  from  the  Indians.  Several  died  from 
cold  and  hunger.  One  man  was  digging  clams.  He 
got  stuck  in  the  mud,  and  was  so  weak  that  he  could 
not  extricate  himself,  and  miserably  perished.  They 
scattered,  wandering  about  in  search  of  ground  nuts 
and  shell-fish,  and  became  utterly  despicable,  even  in 
the  eyes  of  the  savages. 

"They  became  contemned  and  scorned  by  the 
Indians,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  and  they  began 
greatly  to  insult  over  them  in  the  most  insolent  man- 
ner; insomuch,  many  times,  as  they  lay  thus  scat- 
tered abroad,  and  had  set  on  a  pot  with  ground  nuts 
or  shell-fish,  when  it  was  ready,  the  Indians  would 
come  and  eat  it  up.  And  when  night  came,  whereas 
some  of  them  had  a  sorry  blanket  or  such  like  to  lap 
themselves  in,  the  Indians  would  take  it,  and  let  the 
others  lie  all  night  in  the  cold ;  so  as  their  condi- 
tion was  very  lamentable.  Yea,  in  the  end  they 
were  fain  to  hang  one  of  their  men,  whom  they 


226  MILES   STANDISIL 

could  not  reclaim  from  stealing,  to  give  the  Indians 
content."  * 

A  waggish  report  was  circulated,  with  which  Hudi- 
bras  makes  himself  merry,  that,  the  thief  being  a  man 
of  some  importance,  who  could  not  well  be  spared,  a 
poor  decrepit  old  man,  who  was  utterly  unserviceable, 
was  hung  in  his  stead.  There  was  no  truth  in  this 
report.  And  it  was  still  more  atrocious,  as  a  calumny, 
when  attributed  to  the  Pilgrims.  It  cannot  be  denied, 
however,  that  the  deed  would  have  been  in  character 
with  the  conduct  of  the  Weymouth  miscreants.  They 
were  not  Puritans.  There  is  no  evidence  that  they 
had  any  church,  any  divine  worship,  or  any  religion. 

The  state  of  the  Weston  colony  caused  much 
anxiety  at  Plymouth.  The  savages  were  learning  to 
despise  the  English.  It  was  necessary  to  take  some 
very  decisive  action,  and  yet  it  was  difficult  to  deter- 
mine what  that  action  should  be.  Captain  Stand- 
ish's  voyage  was  delayed,  to  wait  for  further  develop- 
ments, and  many  consultations  were  held.  At  length, 
on  the  23d  of  March,  the  Governor  assembled  the 
whole  company  of  the  Pilgrims  in  general  council, 
and,  expressing  the  deepest  regret  that  it  seemed  to 
be  necessary  to  resort  to  warlike  measure  against 
those  whose  good  only  they  sought  to  promote,  pro- 
posed that  Captain  Standish  should  take  so  many 

* 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation;  p.  130. 


SICKNESS    OF    MASSASOIT.  22J 

well-armed  men  as  he  judged  to  be  necessary,  and, 
assailing  the  Indians  with  the  same  weapons  of  guile 
which  they  were  persistently  using,  should  go  to  Mas- 
sachusetts as  if  for  trade  with  the  Indians.  On  the 
way  he  was  to  visit  Weymouth  and  inform  the  people 
there  of  the  plot  which  was  formed  against  them,  and 
of  the  object  of  his  coming,  and  to  invite  them  to  em- 
bark on  board  the  Swan,  and  come  to  Plymouth  for 
protection.  He  was  then  to  visit  the  Indians,  care- 
fully scrutinize  their  conduct,  and  adopt  such  measures 
to  thwart  their  plans  and  punish  their  ringleaders  as 
in  his  judgment  might  seem  expedient.  He  was  par- 
ticularly requested  to  bring  back  with  him,  as  a  warn- 
ing to  all  the  savages,  the  head  of  that  bold  and  bloody 
villain  Wituwamat,  of  whom  we  have  before  spoken, 
who  was  loud  and  boastful  in  his  threats,  and  undis- 
guised in  his  measures  to  array  all  the  Indians  against 
the  English. 

Captain  Standish  took  eight  men  only,  selecting 
those  in  whose  courage  and  discretion  he  could  repose 
perfect  reliance.  The  day  before  he  was  to  sail,  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Phineas  Pratt  came  from  Wey- 
mouth, through  the  woods,  with  his  pack  upon  his 
back.  He  brought  a  deplorable  report  of  the  degra- 
dation and  helplessness  of  the  colonists.  They  were 
dispersed  in  three  companies  in  search  of  food,  and 
were  almost  destitute  of  powder  and  shot.  He  had 


228  MILES   STAND1SH. 

fled  from  the  impending  ruin,  and  begged  permission 
to  remain  at  Plymouth. 

The  next  day  the  wind  was  fair,  and  Captain 
Standish  set  sail  on  his  difficult  and  perilous  expedi- 
tion. They  entered  the  harbor  at  Weymouth,  and 
proceeded  first  to  the  Swan,  which  was  at  anchor 
there,  "  but  neither  man,  or  so  much  as  a  dog  there- 
in." The  discharge  of  a  musket  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  master  of  the  vessel,  who  was  on  shore, 
with  some  of  the  colonists,  searching  for  ground  nuts. 
Upon  Captain  Standish  reproaching  them  with  their 
carelessness  in  leaving  a  vessel  so  important  to  their 
safety  thus  exposed,  they  replied,  like  men  bereft  of 
reason,  that  they  had  no  fear  of  the  Indians.  The 
Captain  gathered  around  him  "as  many  of  the  colo- 
nists as  he  could,  and  informed  them  of  the  plot  already 
ripe  for  their  massacre.  He  then  gave  them  the  in- 
vitation, on  the  part  of  the  Governor  and  all  the  colo- 
nists, to  repair  to  Plymouth,  where  they  would  share 
their  scanty  food  with  them  until  some  better  plan  for 
their  welfare  could  be  devised.  A  more  heroic  act 
of  hospitality  than  this  the  world  has  seldom  wit- 
nessed. He  also  added  that  if  there  were  any  other 
plan  which  they  preferred  to  adopt,  he  would  do  ev- 
erything in  his  power  to  aid  them  in  it. 

These  wretched  men  gladly  accepted  the  generous 
offer  which  rescued  them  from  the  tomahawk  of  the 


SICKNESS   OF   MASSASOIT.  22Q 

savage,  and  decided  at  once  to  abandon  the  colony. 
Captain  Standish  then  enjoined  upon  them  the  most 
entire  secrecy  in  respect  to  their  contemplated  move- 
ment. The  stragglers  were  all  to  be  immediately 
called  in,  and  ordered  not  to  leave  the  town  under 
penalty  of  death.  A  pint  of  corn  was  allotted  to 
them  each  day,  though  this  had  to  be  taken  from  the 
store  which  the  Pilgrims  had  reserved  for  planting. 

The  weather  was  cold,  wet  and  stormy,  and  thus 
Captain  Standish  was  much  delayed  in  his  operations. 
The  Indians,  hearing  of  the  arrival  .of  the  shallop 
from  Plymouth,  sent  a  spy  to  Weymouth,  ostensibly 
to  sell  some  furs.  Though  the  Captain  treated  him 
with  the  customary  courtesy,  the  sagacious  savage 
returned  with  the  report  that  "  he  saw,  by  his  eyes, 
that  he  was  angry  in  his  heart."  But  the  Indians  had 
become  so  emboldened  that  they  hesitated  not  to  use 
any  language  of  insolence  and  menace.  One  of  the 
vilest  of  them,  a  fellow  of  gigantic  stature,  by  the 
name  of  Pecks  uot,  with  Wituwamat  and  his  brother, 
came  swaggering  into  the  little  village.  "  Tell  your 
Captain,"  said  he,  "  that  we  know  that  he  has  come  to 
kill  us.  But  we  do  not  fear  him.  Let  him  begin  as 
soon  as  he  dares.  We  are  ready  for  him." 

These  three  men,  with  another  Indian,  followed 
by  quite  a  mob  of  the  savages,  entered  one  of  the 
houses,  where  Captain  Standish  was  with  four  of  the 


23O  MILES   STANDISK. 

Pilgrims.  The  object,  evidently,  was  to  provoke  a 
quarrel,  and  murder  the  Englishman.  Captain  Stand- 
ish  was  a  slender  man,  of  small  stature.  Pecksuot 
was  almost  a  giant.  The  savage  approached  him, 
whetting  his  knife,  and  boasting  of  his  power  to  lay 
the  "  little  man  "  low.  The  other  Indians  were  equally 
insulting  and  threatening,  with  both  word  and  ges- 
ture. The  Captain,  perfectly  preserving  his  calm- 
ness and  self-possession,  ordered  the  door  to  be  shut 
and  fastened,  that  no  other  Indians  could  come  in. 
Then,  giving  the  signal  to  the  others  of  his  men,  he 
sprang,  with  the  wonderful  strength  and  agility  for 
which  he  was  celebrated,  upon  the  burly  savage, 
wrenched  the  knife,  which  was  sharp  as  a  needle  at 
the  point,  from  his  hand,  and  after  a  desperate  con- 
flict, in  which  he  inflicted  many  wounds,  succeeded  in 
plunging  it  to  the  hilt  in  the  bosom  of  his  foe.  In 
like  manner  Wituwamat  and  the  other  Indian,  after 
the  fiercest  struggle,  during  which  not  a  word  was 
uttered,  were  killed.  Wituwamat's  brother,  a  boast- 
ful, blood-thirsty  villain  of  eighteen,  was  taken  and 
hanged,  for  conspiring  for  the  massacre  of  the  Eng- 
lish. 

The  Indians  around  the  house,  appalled  by  so  un- 
expected an  exhibition  of  courage  and  power,  fled 
into  the  wilderness.  Captain  Standish  marshalled  his 
whole  force  to  pursue.  The  Indians  rallied  in  an  ad- 


SICKNESS   OF   MASSASOIT.  231 


vantageous  position,  and  made  a  brief  stand. 
three  of  their  number  falling  before  the  bullets  of  the 
Englishmen,  they  again  turned,  and  on  swift  foot  dis- 
appeared. 

The  Weymouth  men,  aware  of  their  danger  of 
suffering  from  hunger  in  Plymouth,  decided  to  em- 
bark in  the  Swan  for  the  fishing  fleet  on  the  coast, 
hoping  there  to  obtain  provisions  to  enable  them  to 
return  to  England.  It  was  probably  an  acceptable 
decision  to  the  Captain.  Retaining  simply  corn 
enough  for  his  homeward  trip,  he  gave  all  the  rest  he 
had  with  him  to  them.  A  few  decided  to  go  to  Ply- 
mouth, whom  the  Captain  took  with  him.  Hav- 
ing seen  the  Swan  set  sail,  and  fairly  clear  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  the  conquering  hero  spread  his  sail, 
and  was  soon  greeted  by  his  friends  for  his  success 
in  his  chivalric  adventure.  Thus  the  godless  colony 
at  Weymouth  came  to  an  ignoble  end. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
Domestic  and  Foreign  Policy. 

Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson. — Defense  of  Captain  Standish. — 
New  Policy  Introduced. — Great  Destitution. — Day  of  Fasting  and 
Prayer. — Answer  to  Prayer. — The  First  Thanksgiving. — The  Col- 
ony at  Weymouth. — Worthless  Character  of  the  Colonists. — 
Neat  Cattle  from  England. — Captain  Standish  Sent  to  England. 
— Captain  Wollaston  and  His  Colony. — Heroism  of  Captain 
Standish. — Morton  Vanquished. — Difficulty  at  Cape  Ann. — In- 
creasing Emigration. — The  Division  of  Property. 

* 

When  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson,  the  Pilgrims'  former 
pastor  in  Holland,  heard  of  these  sanguinary  scenes, 
he  was  greatly  afflicted.  Captain  Standish  was  not 
a  church  member,  and  Mr.  Robinson  feared  that  he 
had  acted  with  the  impetuosity  of  the  soldier,  and  not 
with  the  forbearance  of  the  Christian.  He  wrote  to 
the  Pilgrims  : 

"  It  is  necessary  to  bear  in  mind  the  disposition 
of  your  captain,  whom  I  love,  who  is  of  a  warm  tem- 
per. I  had  hoped  that  the  Lord  had  sent  him  among 
you  for  good,  if  you  used  him  right.  He  is  a  man 
humble  and  meek  among  you,  and  towards  all  in  or- 
dinary course.  But  I  doubt  whether  there  is  not 
wanting  that  tenderness  of  the  life  of  man,  made  after 
God's  image,  which  is  meet.  O  how  happy  a  thing 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  233 

had  it  been  that  you  had  converted  some  before  you 
had  killed  any." 

To  this  it  was  replied  that  two  of  the  Indians, 
Squantum  and  Hobbomak,  it  was  hoped,  had  already 
become  Christians;  that  Captain  Standish  was  the 
military  commander  of  the  colony,  and  in  a  sense  re- 
sponsible for  its  safety ;  that  the  measures  he  adopted 
were  purely  in  self-defense,  and  that  in  no  other  way 
could  he  possibly  have  saved  the  colonies  from  mas- 
sacre. Captain  Standish  took  back  with  him  the  head 
of  Wituwamat,  which  was  placed  upon  the  fort  as  a 
warning  to  all  hostile  Indians.  This  measure  has 
been  severely  censured.  But  it  is  replied  that  the 
savages,  whose  bloodthirsty  desires  were  fully  roused, 
could  be  influenced  by  deeds  only,  and  not  by  words ; 
that  no  people  should  be  blamed  for  not  being  in  ad- 
vance of  the  age  in  which  they  lived,  and  that  more 
than  a  century  after  this,  in  the  year  1747,  in  refined 
and  Christian  England,  the  heads  of  the  lords,  who 
were  implicated  in  the  Scots  rebellion,  were  exposed 
upon  Temple  Bar,  the  most  frequented  avenue  between 
London  and  Westminster.  Judge  Davis,  in  his  New 
England's  Memorial,  commenting  upon  Mr.  Robin- 
son's letter,  writes : 

"  These  sentiments  are  honorable  to  Mr.  Robin- 
son. They  indicate  a  generous  philanthropy,  which 
must  always  gain  our  affection,  and  should  ever  be 


234  MILES   STANDISH. 

cherished.  Still  the  transactions,  to  which  the  stric- 
tures relate,  are  defensible.  As  to  Standish,  Belknap 
places  his  defense  on  the  rules  of  duty  imposed  by  his 
character  as  the  military  servant  of  the  colony.  The 
government,  it  is  presumed,  will  be  considered  as  act- 
ing under  severe  necessity,  and  will  require  no  apology 
if  the  reality  of  the  conspiracy  be  admitted,  of  which 
there  can  be  but  little  doubt.  It  is  certain  that  they 
were  fully  persuaded  of  its  existence  ;  and  with  the 
terrible  example  of  the  Virginia  massacre  in  fresh  re- 
membrance, they  had  solemn  duties  to  discharge. 
The  existence  of  the  whole  settlement  was  at  hazard." 

As  we  have  menfioned,  the  unintelligent  Indians 
often  behaved  like  children.  This  energetic  action 
seemed  to  overwhelm  all  those  tribes  with  terror,  who 
were  contemplating  a  coalition  with  the  Massachu- 
setts Indians  against  the  English.  They  acted  as  if 
bereft  of  reason,  forsaking  their  houses,  fleeing  to  the 
swamps,  and  running  to  and  fro  in  the  most  distracted 
manner.  Many  consequently  perished  of  hunger,  and 
of  the  diseases  which  exposure  brought  on.  The 
planting  season  had  just  come.  In  their  fright  they 
neglected  to  plant;  and  thus,  in  the  autumn,  from 
want  of  their  customary  harvest  of  corn,  many  more 
perished. 

Tyanough,  who,  the  reader  will  recollect,  was  sachem 
of  the  tribe  at  Ma^takiest,  the  country  between  Barn- 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  235 

stable  and  Yarmouth  harbors,  had  been  drawn  into 
the  conspiracy.  He  sent  four  men,  in  a  boat,  to  the 
Governor,  at  Plymouth,  with  a  present,  hoping  to  ap- 
pease his  anger.  The  boat  was  cast  away.  Three 
were  drowned.  The  one  survivor  went  back,  not 
daring  to  show  himself  at  Plymouth.  The  Indians 
regarded  the  disaster  as  evidence  of  the  anger  of  the 
Englishman's  God. 

The  month  of  April  1623  had  arrived.  It  was 
necessary  immediately  to  prepare  the  ground  for 
planting.  The  Pilgrims  had  but  a  scanty  supply  of 
corn  reserved  for  seed.  Scarcely  a  kernel  could  be 
spared  for  food.  Until  now  necessity  had  compelled 
the  Pilgrims  to  act  in  partnership,  having  a  common 
store  of  corn  to  be  equally  distributed,  the  fields  be- 
ing cultivated  in  common.  It  was  now  deemed  best 
that  each  man  should  have  his  own  lot,  to  possess 
whatever  amount  his  industry  might  raise.  As  the 
wants  of  the  Colony  rendered  it  necessary  that  some 
should  devote  all  their  time  to  fishing,  and  there  were 
certain  other  public  employments  which  would  en- 
gross the  time  of  individuals,  a  small  tax,  in  coin,  was 
imposed,  to  defray  these  public  expenses. 

About  the  middle  of  April  they  began  to  plant, 
the  weather  being  very  favorable.  Each  man  took 
about  an  acre  of  land.  Without  ploughs,  or  the  aid 
of  cattle,  this  was  all  one  man  could  cultivate.  Im-  • 


236  MILES   STANDISH. 

mediately  the  advantages  of  individual  property,  in- 
stead of  having  a  community  of  interest,  was  mani- 
fest. All  the  boys  and  youth  were  ranged  under 
some  family.  This  created  a  new  scene  of  active  in- 
dustry. Much  more  corn  was  planted,  it  is  said,  than 
would  have  been  otherwise.  Even  the  women  went 
willingly  into  the  field  to  aid  in  planting,  taking  their 
little  ones  with  them.  The  situation  of  the  colonists, 
at  this  time,  seems  to  have  been  deplorable.  Gov- 
ernor Bradford  writes : 

"  By  the  time  our  corn  is  planted  our  victuals  are 
spent ;  not  knowing,  at  night,  where  to  have  a  bit  in 
*  the  morning,  and  have  neither  bread  nor  corn  for 
three  or  four  months  together,  yet  bear  our  wants 
with  cheerfulness.  Having  but  one  boat  left,  we  di- 
vide the  men  into  several  companies,  six  or  seven  in 
each,  who  take  their  turns  to  go  out  with  a  net  and 
fish,  and  return  not  till  they  get  some,  though  they  be 
five  or  six  days  out,  knowing  there  is  nothing  at  home, 
and  to  return  empty  would  be  a  great  discourage- 
ment. When  they  stay  long,  or  get  but  little,  the 
rest  go  a  digging  shell  fish.  And  thus  we  live  in  the 
summer,  only  sending  one  or  two  to  range  the  woods 
for  deer.  They  now  and  then  get  one,  which  we  di- 
vide among  the  company.  In  the  winter  we  are  helped 
with  fowl  and  ground  nuts."  * 

*  Bradford  in  Prince,  p.  216.  ' 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  237 

The  friends  in  England  sent  a  supply  ship,  the 
Paragon,  to  the  suffering  colony.  Three  months 
passed,  and  no  tidings  were  received  of  her.  But 
fragments  of  wreck  were  picked  up,  which  indicated 
her  fate.  It  afterwards  appeared  that,  having  reached 
six  hundred  miles  from  land,  she  encountered  a  terri- 
ble gale,  by  which  she  was  so  much  disabled  as  to 
be  compelled  to  put  back.  Again  she  set  sail,  and 
again  put  back,  with  all  her  upper  works  carried 
by  the  board.  A  disastrous  drouth,  of  six  weeks 
continuance  also  ensued,  which  threatened  the  ut- 
ter destruction  of  their  corn  crop.  Inevitable  starva- 
tion seemed  to  stare  them  in  the  face.  Mr.  Winslow 
writes : 

"  The  most  courageous  were  now  discouraged,  be- 
cause God,  who  had  hitherto  been  our  only  shield 
and  supporter,  now  seemed,  in  his  anger,  to  arm  him- 
self against  us.  And  who  can  withstand  the  fierce- 
ness of  his  wrath  ?  "  * 

In  this  extremity  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was 
appointed.  It  was  the  middle  of  July.  The  morn- 
ing was  cloudless,  without  a  sign  of  rain.  The  sky 
•was  as  brass,  scarce  a  green  herb  was  to  be  seen, 
and  the  earth  was  as  ashes.  The  exercises  of  devo- 
tion continued  for  eight  hours.  All  felt  alike  that 
there  was  no  help  but  in  God.  Elder  Brewster, 

*  Young's  Chronicles,  p.  349. 


238  MILES   STANDISH. 

an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there  was  no  guile, 
preached.  Mr.  Winslow  writes  : 

"  The  exercises,  on  this  special  occasion,  as  of  life 
and  death,  being  continued  eight  hours  or  more,  ere 
their  close  the  clouds  gathered,  the  heavens  were 
overcast,  and  before  the  next  morning  passed,  gentle 
showers  were  distilling  upon  the  earth,  and  so  it  con- 
tinued some  fourteen  days,  with  seasonable  weather 
intervening.  It  were  hard  to  say  whether  our  with- 
ered corn  or  drooping  affections  were  most  quickened 
and  revived,  such  was  the  bounty  and  goodness  of 
our  God." 

Unexpectedly  the  withered  corn  thrust  out  green 
leaves  and  gave  promise  of  a  joyful  harvest.  Even  the 
Indians  were  impressed  with  this  evidence  of  divine 
interposition.  Hobbomak  said  feelingly  : 

"  Now  I  see  that  the  Englishman's  God  is  a  good 
God,  for  he  hath  heard  you  and  sent  you  rain,  and 
without  storms,  tempest  or  thunder  beating  down 
your  corn.  Surely  your  God  is  a  good  God." 

In  the  mean  time,  Captain  Standish  was  sent  out, 
with  the  shallop,  and  a  few  men,  to  explore  the  coast 
and  purchase  all  the  corn  he  could  of  the  Indians. 
Valiant  as  he  was  in  fight,  he  was,  in  ordinary  life,  a 
mild  and  gentle  man,  and  eminently  just  in  all  his 
dealings.  Much  as  the  Indians  dreaded  his  avenging 
arm,  they  seemed  to  be  fully  conscious  that  he  would 


DOMESTIC   AND   FOREIGN   POLICY.  239 

do  them  no  wrong.  Early  in  August  he  returned 
from  this  trading-voyage,  with  his  shallop  well  loaded 
down  with  corn,  which  proved  invaluable  to  the  Pil- 
grims until  their  own  harvest  should  come  in. 

He  brought  back  with  him  Mr.  David  Thompson, 
a  Scotchman,  who,  with  a  small  party  of  emigrants, 
had  commenced  a  plantation  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pis- 
cataqua,  where  Portsmouth  now  stands.  For  these 
many  tokens  of  the  divine  goodness,  Governor  Brad- 
ford appointed  another  day  of  thanksgiving.  It  may 
be  instructive  here  to  insert  Governor  Bradford's  tes- 
timony respecting  the  effect  of  a  community  of  goods, 
which  experiment  was  so  fairly  tried,  and  under  such 
favorable  circumstances,  at  Plymouth  : 

"  The  experience  which  was  had  in  this  common 
course  and  condition,"  he  writes,  "  tried  sundry  years, 
and  that  amongst  godly  and  sober  men,  may  well 
evince  the  vanity  of  that  conceit  of  Plato  and  other 
ancients,  and  applauded  by  some  of  later  times, — that 
the  taking  away  of  property,  and  bringing  a  com- 
munity into  a  commonwealth  would  make  them  happy 
and  flourishing ;  as  if  they  were  wiser  than  God. 
For  this  community,  so  far  as  it  was  such,  was  found 
to  breed  much  confusion  and  discontent,  and  to  re- 
tard much  employment  which  would  have  been  to 
their  benefit  and  comfort.  For  the  young  men,  who 
were  the  most  able  and  fit  for  labor  and  service,  did 


240  MILES   STANDISH. 

repine  that  they  should  spend  their  time  and  strength 
to  work  for  other  men's  wives  and  children,  without 
any  recompense. 

"  The  strong,  or  man  of  parts,  had  no  more  in  the 
division  of  victuals  and  clothes,  than  he  that  was  weak 
and  not  able  to  do  a  quarter  the  other  could.  This 
was  thought  injustice.  The  aged  and  graver  men  to 
be  ranked  and  equalized  in  labors,  victuals,  clothes, 
etc.,  with  the  meaner  and  younger  sort,  thought  it 
some  indignity  and  disrespect  unto  them.  As  for 
men's  wives  to  be  commended  to  do  service  for  other 
men,  as  dressing  their  meat,  washing  their  clothes, 
etc.,  they  deemed  it  a  kind  of  slavery,  neither  could 
many  husbands  well  brook  it.  Let  none  object,  this 
is  men's  corruption,  and  nothing  against  the  course 
itself.  I  answer,  seeing  all  men  have  this  corruption 
in  them,  God,  in  his  wisdom,  saw  another  course  fitter 
for  them."  * 

Early  in  August  two  ships  arrived,  the  Anne  and 
the  Little  James.  The  latter  was  a  small  vessel  of 
about  forty-four  tons,  which  was  built  for  the  company 
and  was  to  remain  at  Plymouth.  The  two  vessels 
brought  sixty  passengers.  Some  of  them  were  very 
worthy  people  and  constituted  a  valuable  addition  to 
the  colony.  Others  were  such  sad  miscreants  that 
the  Pilgrims  instructed  by  the  disasters  which  the 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation,  p.  135. 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  241 

Weymouth  colonists  had  caused,  refused  to  receive 
them  into  their  colony.  The  thriftless  creatures,  un- 
able to  establish  a  settlement  of  their  own,  were  com- 
pelled to  return  to  England. 

The  corn  harvest  was  not  yet  ripe,  and  the  new- 
comers were  greatly  surprised  at  the  destitution  in 
which  they  found  the  colonists.  "The  best  dish," 
writes  Bradford,  "  they  could  present  them  with,  was 
a  lobster  or  a  piece  of  fish,  without  bread  or  anything 
else  but  a  cup  of  fair  spring  water."  The  new-com- 
ers were  afraid  that  the  hungry  colonists  would  eat 
up  all  the  provisions  they  had  brought  with  them.  On 
the  other  hand  the  colonists  were  fearful  that  the  new- 
comers would  devour  their  harvest  of  corn,  which 
was  scarcely  sufficient  for  so  large  an  addition  to  their 
numbers.  They  therefore  decided  that  each  of  the 
parties  should  rely  upon  its  own  resources. 

On  the  loth  of  September  the  Anne  returned  to 
England,  laden  with  clapboards  and  furs.  Mr.  Wins- 
low  also  sailed  in  her,  on  business  for  the  colony. 
The  harvest  was  now  in,  and  there  was  comparative 
plenty.  Many  had  raised  more  corn  than  their  own 
families  would  consume,  and  thus  they  had  a  supply 
to  sell  to  others.  About  the  middle  of  this  month 
Captain  Robert  Georges  arrived  in  Massachusetts 
Bay  with  a  number  of  families,  to  commence  a  new 
plantation  there.  His  grant  of  land  was  very  indefi- 


ii 


242  MILES   STANDISH. 

nite.  It  embraced  all  the  land  lying  on  the  northeast 
side  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  together  with  all  the 
shores  and  coasts,  for  ten  English  miles,  in  a  straight 
line  towards  the  northeast,  and  thirty  miles  into  the 
main  land.  He  selected  for  his'  settlement,  the  spot 
at  Weymouth  which  had  been  abandoned  by  the  Wes- 
ton  Colony.  Governor  Georges  visited  Governor 
Bradford,  where  he  met  with  a  very  kind  reception. 

Some  of  the  seamen,  carousing  in  one  of  the 
houses,  built  a  great  fire  on  a  cold  and  windy  night, 
which  was  communicated  to  the  thatch,  and  four 
houses  were  burnt  down.  The  storehouse  was  great- 
ly endangered.  Its  loss  would  have  been  irrepara- 
ble. The  Little  James  went  on  a  cruise  to  the  coast 
of  Maine,  and  there,  in  a  violent  storm,  was  wrecked. 
Mid-winter  now  frowned  around  the  Pilgrims  as  they 
entered  upon  a  new  year,  the  year  1624. 

Mr.  Winslow  returned  from  England,  bringing 
with  him  two  heifers  and  a  bull,  an  invaluable  acqui- 
sition to  the  colonists,  being  the  first  cattle  that  were 
brought  over.  As  they  had  no  money,  corn  had  be- 
come the  circulating  medium.  With  the  opening 
spring  all  hands  set  to  work  to  raise  as  much  corn  as 
possible.  This  led  to  a  petition  to  the  Governor  to 
have  a  portion  of  land  assigned,  in  perpetuity,  to  each 
individual.  When  assigned  yearly,  by  lot,  that  field 
which  one  man,  by  skill  and  industry,  had  brought 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  243 

into  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  was  often  taken  from 
him,  and  he  received,  perhaps,  instead,  a  field  ne- 
glected and  overrun  with  weeds.  The  request  was 
manifestly  so  reasonable,  than  one  acre  was  given  to 
every  man,  as  near  the  village  as  might  be,  to  be  held 
seven  years.  It  was  deemed  necessary,  for  safety 
against  the  Indians,  to  keep  as  close  together  as  pos- 
sible. 

With  some  internal  disorders,  the  affairs  of  the 
colony  went  on  prosperously  during  the  year,  nothing 
occurring  to  call  the  energies  of  Captain  Standish 
into  requisition.  The  colony  numbered  one  hundred 
and  eighty  souls.  They  had  some  cattle  and  goats, 
quite  a  number  of  swine,  and  numerous  poultry. 
Thirty-two  dwelling  houses  were  now  occupied.  The 
palisades  which  surrounded  the  village  were  half  a 
mile  in  extent.  A  well-built  fort  stood  upon  Burial 
Hill. 

Mr.  Winslow  made  a  trading-voyage  eastward  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles,  in  an  open  boat,  "  up  a  river 
called  the  Kennebec."  He  brought  home  seven  hun- 
dred pounds  of  beaver  and  other  furs,  having  ex- 
changed corn  for  them.  It  was  mid-winter,  and  they 
encountered  much  tempestuous  weather.  The  boat 
was  built  by  their  ship  carpenter,  and  had  a  small 
deck  over  her  midships  to  keep  the  corn  dry.  But 
the  men  were  exposed,  unsheltered  to  winter  on  the 


244  MILES   STANDISH. 

coast  of  Maine.  These  furs  were  purchased  of  the 
natives,  at  a  small  price,  and  were  sold  in  London  at 
a  great  profit. 

The  Pilgrims  wished  to  hire  money  with  which  ta 
purchase  in  England  the  commodities  which  the  In- 
dians greatly  prized,  and  which  they  could  exchange 
with  them  for  furs.  Captain  Standish  was  sent  to 
England  to  adjust  certain  difficulties  which  had  arisen 
between  the  colonists  and  their  partners  in  London, 
and  also  to  hire  money  with  which  to  purchase  goods  to 
trade  with  the  Indians.  But  the  Captain  arrived  in  Lon- 
don at  a  very  unfortunate  hour.  The  city  was  then  des 
olated  by  that  awful  plague  which  was  sweeping  thou- 
sands into  the  grave.  It  would  also  appear  that  the 
credit  of  the  colony  was  far  from  good.  With  great  dif- 
ficulty Captain  Standish  succeeded  in  raising  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  for' which  he  paid  the  enor- 
mous interest  of  fifty  per  cent.  The  risk  to  the 
lender  was  indeed  great.  The  only  chance  the  col- 
onists had  to  pay  the  debt,  was  mainly  in  sending 
home  furs.  But  the  ships  thus  laden  had  to  run  the 
gauntlet  of  the  hostile  fleets  of  France  and  Tur- 
key, with  both  of  which  powers  England  was  then 
at  war. 

Captain  Standish  expended  the  small  sum  he  had 
raised,  in  trading  commodities.  He  also  brought 
back  the  mournful  intelligence  of  the  death  of  the 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  245 

Reverend  Mr.  Robinson,  who  died  at  Leyden  the  ist 
of  March,  1625.  There  were  so  many  vessels  sent 
from  England  to  the  coast  o'f  Maine,  engaged  in  the 
fishing  business,  that  the  colonists,  in  consequence  of 
the  competition,  relinquished  the  fisheries,  and  en- 
gaged in  trading  and  planting,  both  of  which  had  now 
become  profitable.  Immense  numbers  of  fishes  were, 
however,  taken  at  their  very  door,  which  were  used 
to  enrich  the  fields. 

*• 

The  rapid  brook  of  fresh  water,  which  ran  at  the 
south  side  of  the  town,  took  its  rise  in  several  lakes 
in  the  land  above.  Early  in  May  vast  shoals  of  her- 
ring darkened  the  waters  as  they  ascended  the  brook 
from  the  sea  to  deposit  their  spawn  in  the  lakes. 
The  colonists  constructed,  at  the  mouth  of  this  brook, 
a  sort  of  net,  made  of  planks  and  trellis  work,  so 
that  at  one  tide  they  would  often  take  twelve 
thousand  fishes.  Three  or  four  were  deposited  in 
each  hill  of  corn,  which  promoted  a  luxuriant  growth. 
This  corn  was  eagerly  purchased  by  the  Indians,  they 
paying  one  pound  of  beaver  skin  for  one  bushel  of 
corn.  Fishing  vessels  occasionally  called  and  pur- 
chased their  corn  at  six  shillings  a  bushel.  Several 
other  colonies  were  also  established,  which  needed 
supplies.  Thus  days  of  prosperity  dawned  upon  the 
colony,  which  had  so  long  struggled  with  adversity. 
But  little  occurred  during  the  year  1626  worthy  of 


246  MILES  STANDISII. 

especial  notice.      The  coasting-trade  was  becoming 
increasingly  important.     Governor  Bradford  writes  : 

"  Finding  they  ran  a'  great  hazard  to  go  so  long 
voyages  in  a  small,  open  boat,  especially  in  the  winter 
season,  they  began  to  think  how  they  might  get  a 
small  pinnace.  They  had  no  ship  carpenter  among 
them,  neither  knew  how  to  get  one  at  present.  But 
they  having  an  ingenious  man,  who  was  a  house  car- 
penter, who  had  also  wrought  with  the  ship  carpen- 
ter that  was  dead,  when  he  built  their  boats,  at  their 
request,  he  put  forth*  himself  to  make  a  trial  that  way, 
of  his  skill,  and  took  one  of  the  biggest  of  the  shal- 
lops and  sawed  her  in  the  middle,  and  so  lengthened 
her  some  five  or  six  feet,  and  strengthened  her  with 
timbers,  and  so  built  her  up  and  laid  a  deck  on  her, 
and  so  made  her  a  convenient  and  wholesome  vessel, 
very  fit  and  comfortable  for  their  use,  which  did  them 
service  seven  years.  And  thus  passed  the  affairs  of 
this  year."  * 

The  prospects  of  the  colony  had  so  far  brightened 
that  Mr.  Allerton,  who  had  been  sent  to  England 
this  year,  succeeded  in  raising  one  thousand  dollars 
at  thirty  per  cent  interest.  During  the  year  1625 
Captain  Wollaston,  with  thirty  emigrants,  commenced 
a  settlement  at  a  place  they  named  Mount  Wollaston, 
in  the  northerly  part  of  Braintree,  now  Quincy,  in 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation  p.  211. 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  247 

Massachusetts.  Most  of  these  emigrants  were  men 
of  low  condition,  the  hired  laborers  of  Wollaston. 
He  soon  became  discontented,  and  took  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  servants  to  Virginia,  where  he  disposed  of 
their  labor  as  best  he  could.  He  left  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Fitcher  to  guide  the  labor  of  those  who  re- 
mained until  his  return.  In  the  mean  time  one 
Thomas  Morton,  "  a  pettifogging  attorney  of  Furni- 
val's  Inn,  a  man  of  low  habits,"  succeeded  in  persuad- 
ing those  who  were  left  to  renounce  the  authority  of 
Fitcher,  and  to  live  on  terms  of  perfect  equality  and 
freedom,  without  any  laws  whatever.  He  arranged  a 
great  feast,  and  induced  the  men,  in  the  frenzy  of 
intoxication,  to  drive  Fitcher  from  the  settlement. 
They  then  entered  upon  an  astonishing  course  of  ri- 
oting and  drunkenness.  They  prosecuted  vigorously 
a  trade  with  the  natives,  which  was  forbidden  by  royal 
charter,  of  muskets,  powder  and  bullets.  This  trade 
was  very  profitable.  The  Indians,  eager  to  obtain 
muskets,  would  pay  almost  any  sum  for  them.  Mor- 
ton taught  them  how  to  use  the  guns,  and  employed 
them  to  hunt,  purchasing  their  furs. 

Thus  they  rioted  in  abundance,  and  disgraced 
themselves  with  the  most  shameless  indulgence  in 
profanity  and  profligacy.  They  erected  a  May-pole, 
and  danced  around  it  with  the  Indian  women.  In 
accordance  with  these  scenes  of  revelry,  they  changed 


248  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  name  of  the  place  to  Merry  Mount  Morton  was 
an  Atheist :  teaching  that  this  was  the  only  life  ;  that 
there  was  no  responsibility  to  God,  and  that  it  was 
the  part  of  wisdom  to  indulge  freely  in  all  one's  de- 
sires. 

This  state  of  things  created  great  alarm,  in  all  the 
various  settlements,  which  had  by  this  time  been 
established.  The  Indians,  if  once  supplied  with 
European  weapons  of  war,  could  easily,  by  combin- 
ing, destroy  all  the  colonies.  Governor  Bradford 
complains  very  bitterly  of  the  peril.  The  Indians  had 
muskets  in  abundance  ;  they  were  taught  how  to  re- 
pair their  muskets  when  injured  ;  they  were  furnished 
with  moulds  for  running  bullets  of  various  sizes. 

"Yea,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "some  have 
seen  them  have  their  screw-plates  to  make  screw- 
pins  themselves,  when  they  want  them,  with  sundry 
other  implements,  wherewith  they  are  ordinarily  bet- 
ter fitted  and  furnished  than  the  English  themselves. 
It  is  well  known  that  they  will  have  powder  and  shot 
when  the  English  want  it,  and  cannot  get  it ;  and  yet 
in  a  time  of  war  or  danger,  as  experience  hath  mani- 
fested, when  lead  hath  been  scarce,  and  men  for  their 
their  own  defense  would  gladly  have  given  four  pence 
a  pound,  which  is  dear  enough,  yet  hath  it  been 
bought  up  and  sent  to  other  places,  and  sold  to  such 
as  trade  it  with  the  Indians  at  twelve  pence  a  pound 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  249 

And  it  is  likely  the  Indians  give  three  or  four  shillings 
the  pound,  for  they  will  have  it  at  any  rate. 

"  And  these  things  have  been  done  in  the  same 
times  when  some  of  their  neighbors  and  friends  are 
daily  killed  by  the  Indians,  or  are  in  danger  thereof, 
and  live  but  at  the  Indians'  mercy.  Yea,  some  have 
told  them  how  gunpowder  is  made,  and  all  the  mate- 
rials in  it,  and  that  they  are  to  be  had  in  their  own 
land ;  and  I  am  confident  that  could  they  attain  to 
make  saltpetre  they  would  teach  them  to  make  pow- 
der. Oh  the  horribleness  of  this  villainy  !  How  many, 
both  Dutch  and  English,  have  been  lately  slain  by 
those  Indians  thus  furnished  !  And  no  remedy  pro- 
vided, nay  the  evil  more  increased,  and  the  blood  of 
their  brethren  sold  for  gain  ;  and  in  what  danger  all 
these  colonies  are  is  too  well  known. 

"  Oh !  that  princes  and  parliaments  would  take 
some  timely  order  to  prevent  this  mischief  and,  at 
length  to  suppress  it,  by  some  exemplary  punishment 
upon  some  of  those  gain-thirsty  murderers,  for  they 
deserve  no  better  title,  before  their  colonies  in  these 
parts  be  overthrown  by  these  barbarous  savages,  thus 
armed  with  their  own  weapons,  by  these  evil  instru- 
ments and  traitors  to  their  neighbors  and  country. 

"  But  I  have  forgotten  myself,  and  have  been  too 
long  in  this  digression ;  but  now  to  return.  This 
Morton  having  thus  taught  them  the  use  of  muskets 

T  r* 


MILES    STANDISII. 

he  sold  them  all  he  could  spare ;  and  he  and  his  con  - 
sorts  determined  to  send  for  many  out  of  England, 
and  had,  by  some  of  the  ships,  sent  for  above  a  score, 
The  which  beuig  known,  and  his  neighbors  meeting 
the  Indians  in  the  woods,  armed  with  guns  in  this 
sort,  it  was  a  terroi  unto  them  who  lived  strugglingly 
and  were  of  no  strength  in  any  place.  And  other 
places,  though  more  remote,  saw  that  this  mischief 
would  quickly  spread  over  all  if  not  prevented.  Be- 
sides, they  saw  they  should  keep  no  servants^  for  Mor- 
ton would  entertain  any,  how  vile  soever,  and  all  the 
scum  of  the  country,  or  any  discontents  would  flock 
to  him  from  all  places,  if  this  nest  was  not  broken  ; 
and  they  would  stand  in  more  fear  of  their  lives  and 
goods,  in  a  short  time,  from  this  wicked  and  debauched 
crew,  than  from  the  savages  themselves. 

The  leading  men  of  several  settlements  met  to- 
gether to  deliberate  upon  what  measures  to  adopt  in 
this  emergence.  The  Plymouth  colony  was  stronger 
than  all  the  rest  united. 

The  delegates  came  from  Plymouth,  from  the 
trading-house  at  the  Kennebec,  from  the  small  set- 
tlement at  Salem,  from  Weymouth,  and  from  several 
other  places  where  infant  settlements  had  been  com- 
menced. They  decided  to  write  a  joint  and  friendly 
letter  to  Morton,  informing  him  of  the  danger  to  which 
he  was  exposing  all  the  English,  and  entreating  him, 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  251 

out  of  regard  to  the  common  safety,  to  change  his 
course.  A  messenger  was  sent  with  this  letter,  and 
to  bring  back  an  answer.  Morton  replied  insultingly 
and  defiantly,  saying  that  they  were  meddling  with 
that  which  they  had  no  concern ;  that  he  should  con- 
tinue trade  with  the  Indians  just  as  he  pleased,  selling 
them  muskets,  powder  and  shot,  without  asking  any 
one's  advice.  The  answer  throughout  was  couched 
in  the  most  insulting  terms. 

Again,  with  the  most  singular  moderation,  a  mes- 
senger was  sent  to  him  with  another  friendly  letter, 
saying  that  they  were  consulting,  not  for  selfish  inter- 
ests, but  for  the  good  of  all  alike  ;  that  the  lives  of  all 
were  endangered,  and  that  the  King's  proclamation 
had  forbidden  the  sale  of  fire-arms  to  the  savages. 
Another  insolent  answer  was  returned.  He  assured 
them  that  he  cared  neither  for  the  King's  proclama- 
tion nor  for  them  ;  and  that  if  they  thought  they  could 
coerce  him,  they  might  come  on  as  soon  as  they 
pleased  ;  he  was  ready  for  the  m. 

It  was  now  manifestly  time  to  summon  the  ener- 
gies of  Captain  Standish  to  the  rescue.  He  was  ex- 
actly the  man  for  the  occasion.  With  a  small  body 
of  armed  men,  eight  in  number,  as  valiant  as  himself,  . 
Captain  Standish  set  out  for  Merry  Mount.  In  some 
way,  Morton  had  heard  of  his  approach.  With  his 
desperate  men  he  had  barricaded  himself  in  a  strong 


252  MILES   STANDISH. 

log  house,  with  an  ample  supply  of  powder  and  balls. 
They  well  knew  the  reputation  of  the  foe  they  were 
to  encounter,  and  in  order  to  stimulate  their  waning 
courage,  had  all  become  drunk.  From  their  fortress, 
which  they  deemed  impregnable,  they  shouted  their 
scurrilous  defiance  to  the  Captain  and  his  little  band. 
There  are  men  with  whom  apparently  the  most  reck- 
less bravery  is  combined  with  prudence  and  sound 
judgment ;  who  seem  to  be  endowed  with  a  sort  of 
instinct  which  teaches  them  when  an  act  of  seeming 
desperation  may  be  demanded  by  wisdom.  Captain 
Standish  was  such  a  man. 

He  was  making  arrangements  to  carry  the  house, 
perhaps  by  approaching  it  from  some  unguarded 
point,  and  setting  it  on  fire,  when  Morton,  drunk  as 
he  was,  saw  his  danger.  Selecting  a  few  of  his  men, 
he  emerged  from  his  fortress,  with  the  intention  of 
making  a  sudden  and  simultaneous  rush  upon  Captain 
Standish,  and  shooting  him.  Morton  himself  was  so 
intoxicated  that,  as  afterwards  found,  his  carbine  was 
overloaded,  being  nearly  half  filled  with  powder  and 
shot. 

The  captain,  though  of  short  stature,  possessed 
dignity  of  character  and  authority  of  bearing  which 
often  overawed  his  foes.  Without  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion, he  advanced  with  stately  tread  upon  Morton, 
totally  regardless  of  his  weapon,  seized  him  by  the 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  253 

collar,  wrenched  the  gun  from  his  hands,  and  delivered 
him  over  to  his  men,  a  humiliated  and  helpless  cap- 
tive. The  rest  of  the  drunken  crew,  deprived  of  their 
leader,  were  deemed  powerless.  The  culprit  was 
taken  to  Plymouth,  and  was  sent  to  England  by  the 
first  vessel  that  sailed,  there  to  be  tried  for  his  crimes. 

The  Pilgrims,  at  Plymouth,  had  for  some  time 
been  in  the  habit  of  sending  yearly  to  the  fishing- 
grounds  off  Cape  Ann  for  a  supply  of  cod.  They 
had  erected  quite  a  commodious  stage  upon  the 
cape,  where  they  dressed  and  dried  their  fish.  Some 
London  adventurers  fitted  out  a  fishing  vessel  for  the 
cape,  and  arriving  there  before  the  Plymouth  people, 
took  possession  of  their  stage,  which  they  refused  to 
surrender  when  the  Pilgrims  came  and  demanded 
their  own. 

The  code  militaire  was,  at  this  time,  the  rule  of 
life  with  Captain  Standish.  He  would  do  no  wrong ; 
and  he  would  submit  to  no  wrong.  He  was  immedi- 
ately sent  to  Cape  Ann  to  adjust  the  difficulty.  There 
was  no  room  for  question  about  the  right  and  wrong 
in  the  case.  The  new-comers  had  stolen  the  property 
of  the  Pilgrims.  Captain  Standish  peremptorily  de- 
manded its  restoration.  The  thieves  barricaded  them- 
selves on  the  stage.  Captain  Standish  prepared  for 
battle,  and  would  doubtless  have  recovered  the  stage 
by  force.  "  But  Mr.  Conant,"  writes  Baylies, "  who  dwelt 


254  MILES  STANDISH. 

there,  and  who  was  a  man  of  a  mild  and  conciliatory  dis 
position,  and  Captain  Pierce,  a  fast  friend  of  the  Ply- 
mouth people,  also  happening  to  be  there  with  his 
ship,  interposing  their  good  offices,  the  dispute  was 
compromised,  the  ship's  crew  having  promised  to 
build  another  stage."  * 

Emigration  to  the  New  World  was  now  rapidly 
increasing.  Many  new  settlements  sprang  up  and 
many  worthless  characters  came  over,  lured  by  the 
love  of  adventure.  Not  a  few  of  these  came  to  the 
flourishing  Plymouth  colony.  This  led  to  a  new  or- 
ganization of  the  colony,  the  details  of  which  it  is  not 
necessary  to  enter  into  here.  The  company  in  Lon- 
don, who  had  obtained  the  charter  from  the  King  and 
held  the  territory,  sold  out  their  whole  property  to  the 
colonists,  for  nine  thousand  dollars,  to  be  paid  in  nine 
annual  instalments  of  one  thousand  dollars.  The 
general  features  of  this  important  change  is  thus  given 
by  Baylies. 

"  Every  head  of  a  family,  and  every  prudent  young 
man  who  was  of  age,  both  of  the  first  and  later  comers, 
were  admitted  into  a  general  partnership;  and  all 
agreed  that  the  trade  should  be  managed  as  usual, 
devoting  all  its  profits  to  the  payment  of  the  debt ; 
that  every  single  freeman  should  have  a  single  share, 
and  that  every  father  of  a  family  should  have  leave 
*  Baylies'  Memoir  of  Plymouth  Colony,  p.  140. 


DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN  POLICY.  255 

to  purchase  a  share  for  himself,  another  for  his  wife, 
and  one  for  each  of  his  children  who  lived  with  him, 
and  that  every  one  should  pay  his  share  of  the  debts, 
according  to  his  number  of  shares.  One  cow  and 
two  goats  were  divided  by  lot  to  every  six  shares,  and 
the  swine  in  proportion.  And  to  every  share,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  acre  lots,  which  they  already  held,  and  the 
gardens  and  homestead  of  which  they  were  possessed, 
twenty  acres  of  tillage  land  was  assigned  by  lot, 
which  were  to  be  five  acres  broad  on  the  water  and 
four  acres  deep." 

The  meadow  lands,  for  mowing,  being  quite  small 
in  extent,  were  held  in  common,  mowing  places 
being  assigned,  as  the  seasons  came  around,  to  all 
the  families,  according  to  their  number  of  cattle.  As 
the  Pilgrims  were  living  in  constant  apprehension  of 
a  combination  of  the  Indians  against  them,  it  was 
deemed  important  that  they  should  not  be  widely 
scattered  in  their  fields  of  labor.  A  sudden  attack 
might  expose  them  to  destruction,  unless  they  could 
be  speedily  rallied.  Twenty  acres  of  land  was  much 
more  than  any  one  man  could  cultivate  with  the  agri- 
cultural facilities  then  at  their  control.  It  was  there- 
fore agreed,  before  any  lots  were  cast,  that  those 
whose  lots  should  fall  next  to  the  town,  should  take  a 
neighbor  or  two,  whom  they  best  liked,  to  plant  corn 
with  them  for  four  years.  By  that  time  it  was  sup- 


256  MILES   STANDISH. 

posed  the  colony  would  be  out  of  danger  from  any 
hostile  attack.  This  arrangement  gave  general  sat- 
isfaction, and  inspired  the  colonists  with  new  en- 
ergies. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Increase  and  Growth  of  the  Settlements. 

The  Virginia  Emigrants. — Humanity  and  Enterprise  of  the  Govern- 
or.— Envoy  Sent  to  England. — Trading  Posts  on  the  Kennebec 
and  Penobscot  Rivers. — Capture  by  the  French. — The  Massa- 
chusetts Colony. — Its  Numbers  and  Distinguished  Characters. — 
Trade  with  the  Indians. — Wampum  the  New  Currency. — Trad- 
ing Post  at  Sandwich. — Sir  Christopher  Gardener. — Captain 
Standish  Moves  to  Duxbury. — Lament  of  Governor  Bradford. 

An  incident  occurred  at  this  time,  quite  interest- 
ing, as  illustrative  of  the  adventurous  life  upon  which 
these  men  had  entered,  in  the  wilderness  of  this  New 
World ;  a  life  of  excitement  and  heroic  achieve- 
ments, with  its  full  share  of  earthly  joys  as  well  as 
griefs. 

A  ship,  laden  with  passengers  and  goods,  left 
England  for  Virginia.  The  captain  was  taken  sick, 
so  that  he  could  not  leave  his  cabin.  The  inefficient 
mate  became  bewildered.  After  six  weeks  at  sea 
their  provisions  were  exhausted.  Starvation  stared 
them  in  the  face.  Knowing  not  where  they  were,  in 
the  night,  and  in  a  gale  of  wind,  they  were  almost 
miraculously  swept  over  the  shoals  of  Cape  Cod,  and 
striking  a  sand  bar,  were  driven  over  it  into  a  little 
bay,  then  called  Manamoyake,  now  Chatham.  The 


258  MILES   STANDISH. 

vessel  leaking  badly,  with  many  of  her  planks  sprung, 
was  forced  high  upon  the  beach,  so  that,  with  the  re- 
ceding tide,  not  only  the  crew  safely  landed,  and  the 
cargo,  though  much  damaged  with  salt  water,  was 
taken  on  shore. 

The  shipwrecked  people,  rejoicing  to  have  escaped 
with  their  lives,  reared  their  huts  upon  the  shore,  not 
knowing  where  they  were  or  what  would  become  of 
them.  While  in  this  state  of  suspense  and  sadness, 
they  were  alarmed  one  morning  in  seeing  several 
birch  canoes  coming  around  a  headland  filled  with 
Indians.  They  seized  their  guns  and  stood  upon  de- 
fense. But  the  Indians  paddled  rapidly  along  as  if 
apprehending  no  harm,  and  addressing  them  in  Eng- 
lish, inquired  if  they  were  the  Governor  of  Ply- 
mouth's people,  or  his  friends.  The  Indians  told 
them  where  they  were,  offered  to  conduct  them  to 
Plymouth,  or  to  take  letters  for  them.  The  English- 
men were  greatly  comforted  by  this  intelligence. 
They  gave  the  Indians  several  valuable  presents  from 
their  shipwrecked  stores,  and  despatched,  under  their 
guidance,  two  men,  with  a  letter  to  Governor  Brad- 
ford, entreating  him  to  send  a  boat  to  them  wifh 
spikes,  oakum,  pitch  and  sundry  other  materials,  with 
which  they  hoped  to  repair  their  vessel,  and  again  to 
get  her  afloat  from  her  soft  bed  in  the  sand. 

The  Governor  immediately  loaded  a  large  boat 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  259 

with  the  needful  articles,  including  a  generous  supply 
of  corn,  and  taking  also  trading  commodities  with 
which  to  buy  additional  supplies  of  the  Indians,  went 
himself  to  the  aid  of  his  unfortunate  countrymen.  It 
was  winter,  when  the  chill  sea  was  swept  by  angry 
storms.  It  was  not  safe,  at  that  season,  in  the  boat, 
to  attempt  to  sail  around  the  head  of  the  cape,  and  to 
brave  the  storms  of  the  Atlantic  on  the  eastern  shore. 
He  therefore  sailed  across  the  bay  in  a  southeasterly 
direction,  and  entering  Barnstable  Bay,  ascended  a 
little  creek  called  Namskeket,  which  ran  inland  nearly 
a  mile.  From  the  head  of  this  creek  it  was  but  two 
miles  across  the  cape  to  Manamoyake  Bay,  where  the 
vessel  was  stranded. 

The  Indians,  accustomed  to  portages,  were  read- 
ily hired  to  transport  the  articles  across  the  land. 
The  shoulders  of  the  Indian  women  would  bear  very 
heavy  burdens.  The  arrival  of  the  Governor  with 
the  abundant  supplies  caused  great  rejoicing.  He 
spent  a  few  days  with  them,  and  then,  returning  to 
his  boat,  sailed  along  the  inner  coast  till  he  had  pur- 
chased of  the  natives  a  full  cargo  of  corn,  with  which 
he  replenished  the  granaries  at  Plymouth. 

The  stranded  vessel  was  repaired  and  floated, 
when  another  fierce  tempest  arose,  and  she  was 
driven,  a  hopeless  wreck,  upon  the  shore.  The  beach 
in  Chatham,  where  she  was  stranded,  is  still  called 


26O  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  "  Old  Ship."     Remains  of  the  wreck  were  visible 
within  the  present  century. 

Some  of  these  shipwrecked  emigrants  were  men 
of  wealth,  bringing  with  them  many  servants  to  culti- 
vate large  estates  in  Virginia.  But  the  majority  were 
men  in  the  humble  walks  of  life.  Application  was 
immediately  made  to  Governor  Bradford  that  they  all 
might  be  permitted  to  repair  to  Plymouth,  and  to  re- 
main there  until  they  shouM  have  the  means  to  con- 
vey themselves  to  Virginia.  The  humane  Pilgrims, 
ever  ready  to  do  a  kind  deed,  without  hesitancy  ac- 
ceded to  their  request.  Boats  were  sent  up  the 
Namskeket  Creek,  and  with  great  labor  the  ship- 
wrecked emigrants  and  their  goods  were  transported 
to  the  Christian  colony. 

"  After  they  were  hither  come,"  writes  the  Gover- 
nor, "  and  something  settled,  the  masters  desired 
some  ground  to  employ  their  servants  upon,  seeing  it 
was  like  to  be  the  latter  end  of  the  year  before  they 
could  have  passage  for  Virginia,  and  they  had  now 
the  winter  before  them  ;  they  might  clear  some  ground 
and  plant  a  crop,  to  help  bear  their  charge,  and  keep 
their  servants  in  employment.  And  if  they  had  op- 
portunities to  depart  before  the  same  was  ripe,  they 
would  sell  it  on  the  ground.  So  they  had  ground 
appointed  them  in  convenient  places." 

Among  these  emigrants  there  were  many  irrelig- 


INCREASE  OF  THE  SETTLEMENTS.     261 

ious  and  disorderly  men.  Some  were  men  of  high 
character,  who  were  highly  appreciated  by  the  Pil- 
grims. But  there  was  general  rejoicing  in  the  little 
colony  at  the  end  of  the  summer,  when  two  vessels 
arrived  from  England,  and  conveyed  them  to  their 
original  destination  in  Virginia. 

It  was  now  decided  to  build  a  pinnace,  on  the 
southern  coast  of  the  Cape,  so  that  they  could  easily 
run  along  the  shore  there,  in  both  directions,  engag- 
ing in  trade  with  the  Indians.  About  twenty  miles 
south  of  Plymouth,  upon  the  shore  of  Buzzard's  Bay, 
in  the  present  town  of  Sandwich,  there  was  a  small 
harbor  called  Manomet,  which  the  Pilgrims  had  not 
unfrequently  visited.  Sailing  down  from  Plymouth 
on  the  north  side,  they  could  approach  this  spot 
within  about  four  or  five  miles.  Thus  all  the  furs  and 
corn  which  they  could  purchase  on  the  south  and 
eastern  shores  of  the  cape,  could  be  sent  across  this 
"  carrying  place,"  and  thence  could  be  conveyed  to 
Plymouth,  avoiding  the  dangerous  navigation  around 
the  cape.  A  boat-house  was  built  here,  and  also  a 
dwelling-house,  where  a  few  agents  were  stationed,  to 
navigate  the  boat  and  to  engage  in  agriculture.  The 
enterprise  proved  eminently  successful. 

Again  the  company  sent  Mr.  Allerton  to  England 
with  a  cargo  of  furs,  to  meet  their  engagements  there, 
and  to  obtain  authority  to  establish  a  trading-post  on 


262  MILES  STANDISH. 

the  Kennebec  River.  The  Dutch  were  establishing 
trading-posts  and  agricultural  colonies  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Hudson,  and  many  friendly  messages  and  cour- 
teoiJs  acts  were  interchanged  between  these  two 
parties.  There  were  many  English  refugees  in  Ley- 
den  who,  upon  the  death  of  their  pastor,  Mr.  Robin- 
son, were  anxious  to  join  their  friends  in  America. 
They  had  expressed  this  desire  very  earnestly ;  but 
they  were  poor.  They  were  unable  to  provide  them- 
selves with  an  outfit,  or  even  to  pay  for  their  passage 
across  the  Atlantic.  In  order  to  aid  these  exiled  and 
impoverished  brethren,  Governor  Bradford,  Captain 
Standish,  and  several  others,  formed  a  company  and 
purchased  of  the  Plymouth  colony  all  their  right  to 
trade  with  the  Indians  for  six  years.  For  this  they 
paid  twelve  thousand  dollars.  The  main  object  of  the 
purchasers  seemed  to  be  to  raise  money  enough  to 
bring  over  their  friends  from  Holland.  There  were 
eight  of  the  Pilgrim  fathers  united  with  four  gentle- 
men in  London  who  assumed  these  responsibilities. 
Very  truly  Mr.  Baylies  writes : 

"The  generosity  of  the  chiefs  of  the  colony  to 
their  Leyden  brethren  is  unparalleled.  They  almost 
deprived  themselves  of  the  common  necessaries  of  life 
to  get  them  over,  and  to  support  them  until  they  were 
able  to  support  themselves  ;  laboring  at  the  same  time 
under  heavy  debts,  for  which  they  paid  exorbitant 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  263 

Interest.  But  their  necessities  seemed  only  to  stimu- 
late them  to  greater  exertions."  * 

This  new  company,  having  obtained  a  patent  for 
a  trading-post  on  the  Kennebec  River,  erected  a 
house  in  a  place  called  Cushenoe,  now  the  city  of 
Augusta.  Here  they  collected,  for  purposes  of  trade, 
a  large  supply  of  coats,  shirts,  rags,  blankets,  biscuit, 
pease,  etc.  In  the  month  of  August,  1629,  thirty-five 
families  arrived  at  Plymouth  from  Leyden.  Nine 
months  after,  in  May,  1630,  another  ship  arrived, 
bringing  several  more  families.  The  new  company, 
of  which  the  Governor  and  the  captain  were  the  prin- 
cipal men,  paid  all  their  expenses,  though  they 
amounted  to  two  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars. 
Houses  were  assigned  to  them ;  grounds  were  pur- 
chased for  them,  and  they  were  fed  from  the  public 
stores  for  more  than  a  year.  When  we  remember 
that  there  was  no  blood  relationship  between  these 
parties,  no  partnership,  no  bond  of  union  excepting 
Christian  charity ;  that  the  benefactors  were  poor, 
struggling  for  their  own  support,  and  that  many  of 
those  whom  thfey  were  thus  aiding  they  had  never 
seen  before,  we  must  regard  this  act  as  one  of  ex- 
traordinary generosity. 

A  trading-post  had  been  established  on  the  Pen- 
obscot  River,  at  a  point  called  Bagaduce,  now  Cas- 

*  Blake's  Plymouth  Colony,  p.  153. 


264  MILES   STANDISH. 

tine.  Here  a  very  lucrative  trade  was  transacted 
with  the  Indians,  mainly  in  furs.  The  French  claimed 
this  post  as  within  their  domain.  A  small  French 
vessel  entered  the  bay,  and  finding  the  post  defence- 
less,  rifled  it  of  all  its  contents,  and  carried  off  three 
hundred  pounds  of  beaver  skins  and  other  property 
to  the  value  of  over  two  thousand  dollars.  Governor 
Bradford,  in  his  description  of  this  annoying  event, 
writes : 

"  It  was  in  this  manner  :  The  master  of  the  house, 
and  part  of  the  company  with  him,  were  come  with 
their  vessel  to  the  westward  to  fetch  a  supply  of  goods 
which  was  brought  over  for  them.  In  the  mean  time 
comes  a  small  French  ship  into  the  harbor ;  and 
amongst  the  company  was  a  false  Scot.  They  pre- 
tended that  they  were  newly  come  from  the  sea,  and 
knew  not  where  they  were,  and  that  their  vessel  was 
very  leaky,  and  desired  that  they  might  haul  her 
ashore  and  stop  her  leaks.  And  many  French  com- 
pliments they  used  and  conges  they  made.  And  in 
the  end,  seeing  but  three  or  four  simple  men,  that 
were  servants,  and  by  this  Scotchman  understanding 
that  the  master  and  the  rest  of  the  company  were 
gone  from  home,  they  fell  of  commending  their  guns 
and  muskets  that  lay  upon  racks  by  the  wall-side. 
They  took  them  down  to  look  on  them,  asking  if  they 
were  charged.  And  when  they  were  possessed  of 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  265 

them,  one  presents  a  piece,  ready  charged,  against 
the  servants,  and  another  a  pistol,  and  bid  them  not 
stir,  but  quietly  deliver  up  their  goods.  They  carried 
some  of  the  men  aboard,  and  made  the  others  help 
to  carry  away  the  goods.  And  when  they  had  taken 
what  they  pleased,  they  set  them  at  liberty  and  went 
their  way  with  this  mockery,  bidding  them  tell  their 
master  when  he  came,  that  some  of  the  Isle  of  Rye 
gentlemen  had  been  there." 

The  emigration  from  England  rapidly  increased 
and,  ere  long,  the  colony  numbered  fifteen  hundred 
souls.  In  the  year  1628,  John  Endicot,  with  a  party 
of  emigrants,  established  rather  a  feeble  settlement 
at  Salem,  then  called  Naumkeag.  On  the  3Oth  of 
May,  1630,  another  party  commenced  a  colony  at  Dor- 
chester, then  called  Mattapan.  In  the  months  of 
June  and  July  of  the  same  year,  a  fleet  of  eleven  ves- 
sels arrived  from  England,  bringing  over  a  large  num- 
ber of  passengers,  and,  after  some  deliberation,  they 
selected  what  is  now  Charlestown  for  their  principal 
settlement.  A  part  of  the  company  went  to  Water- 
town.  About  fifteen  hundred  came  over  during  the 
year. 

The  Puritans  in  England  were  now  gaining  the 
ascendency.  Men  of  influence  and  rank  were  join- 
ing them.  They  were  not  at  all  disposed  to  bow  the 
knee  to  those  who  had  heretofore  been  their  persecu- 


266  MILES   STANDISH. 

tors.  The  eminent  John  Winthrop  came  as  Governor 
of  the  powerful  Massachusetts  colony,  which  colony 
was  stronger  in  numbers,  and  far  stronger  in  wealth 
and  influence,  when  it  first  landed,  than  was  the  Ply- 
mouth Colony  after  long  years  of  struggle  with  the 
hardships  of  the  wilderness.  Governor  Winthrop 
was  a  gentleman  of  culture,  position  and  wealth. 
Two  of  the  emigrants,  Humphry  and  Johnson,  had 
married  sisters  of  the  Earl  of  Lincoln.  Sir  Richard 
Saltonstall,  who  was  one  of  their  number,  was  son 
of  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London.  There  were  many 
others,  men  of  family  and  fortune,  who,  having  lived 
in  the  enjoyments  of  large  estates,  were  accustomed 
to  all  the  refinements  of  polished  society.  Others, 
such  as  Hampden,  Cromwell  and  Pym,  who  subse- 
quently became  conspicuous  in  the  overthrow  of  the 
tyrannic  throne  of  Charles  I,  wished  to  join  them, 
but  were  prevented  by  a  royal  edict. 

As  early  as  1623  there  were  as  many  as  fifty  ves- 
sels engaged  in  fishing  on  the  New  England  coast. 
Several  of  these  were  owned  by  parties  in  Dorches- 
ter, England.  They  sent  a  party  of  fourteen  persons 
to  a  spot  near  Cape  Ann,  where  Gloucester  now 
stands,  to  commence  a  small  settlement.  It  was  their 
main  object  to  provide  a  home  upon  the  land,  to  which 
the  sailors  might  resort  for  refreshment  and  rest,  and 
where  they  might  be  brought  under  religious  influ- 


INCREASE. OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  267 

ences.  The  site  was  purchased  of  the  Plymouth 
colony.  They  carried  out  live  stock,  and  erected  a 
house,  with  a  stage  to  dry  fish,  and  with  vats  for  the 
manufacture  of  salt.  The  experiment  proved  an  utter 
failure,  from  the  incompetence  of  the  colonists. 

The  New  World,  as  affording  facilities  for  promis- 
ing homes,  was  attracting  ever  increasing  attention. 
This  led  to  the  organization  of  a  powerful  company, 
who  obtained  a  grant  of  lands  extending  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Western  Ocean,  and  in  width,  run- 
ning from  three  miles  north  of  the  Merrimac  river  to 
a  line  three  miles  south  of  the  Charles.  The  com- 
pany invested  with  this  immense  territory  consisted 
of  a  number  of  private  individuals,  who,  by  their 
charter,  became  invested  with  almost  imperial  pow- 
ers. The  Plymouth  colonists  recognized  the  supe- 
rior numbers,  opulence  and  rank  of  their  Massachu- 
setts brethren,  and  were  ever  ready  to  render  to  them 
the  precedence.  And  though  the  Massachusetts 
colonists  were  occasionally  somewhat  arrogant,  as  if 
fully  conscious  of  their  superiority,  they  were  gener- 
ally just,  and  at  times  even  generous,  to  those  breth- 
ren who  were  in  entire  accord  with  them  in  religious 
faith,  and  whose  virtues  they  could  not  but  revere. 

The  advent  of  these  colonists  was  a  great  blessing 
to  the  Indians.  The  men  of  Plymouth  and  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, alike  recognizing  that  universal  brother- 


268  MILES   STAND1SII. 

hood  which  Christianity  so  prominently  enforces,  were 
disposed  to  treat  the  Indians  with  the  utmost  kind- 
ness, and  to  do  everything  in  their  power  to  elevate 
and  bless  them.  They  purchased  their  lands,  their 
corn  and  their  furs,  and  paid  fair  prices  for  them,  thus 
introducing  into  their  wigwams  comforts  of  which  they 
previously  had  no  conception.  The  Indians  were 
thus  stimulated  to  industry,  and  these  friendly  rela- 
tions would  have  continued,  to  the  inestimable  benefit 
of  both  parties,  but  for  the  outrages  inflicted  upon  the 
savages  by  such  godless  wretches  as  the  infamous 
Captain  Hunt,  the  low  and  thieving  gang  of  Wey- 
mouth  adventurers,  and  drunken  sailors  and  reckless 
vagabonds,  who,  fleeing  from  crimes  in  their  own 
country,  gave  loose  to  unrestrained  passions  in  this 
New  World. 

The  Pilgrims  had  no  power  to  prevent  these  atro- 
cities. The  poor  savages,  ignorant  and  degraded, 
knew  not  how  to  discriminate.  If  drunken  white 
men,  vagabond  sailors  from  some  English  vessel,  pil- 
fered their  wigwams,  insulting  their  wives  and  daugh- 
ters, there  was  no  law  to  which  they  could  appeal, 
and,  in  their  benighted  state,  the  only  redress  before 
them  was  to  violate,  with  still  more  terrible  atrocities, 
with  torture  and  flame  and  blood,  the  inmates  of  some 
white  man's  log  house,  the  home,  perhaps,  of  piety 
and  prayer,  where  the  Indian,  if  hungry,  would  be 


INCREASE  OF  THE  SETTLEMENTS.     269 

fed,  if  sick,  would  be  nursed  with  true  brotherly  and 
sisterly  tenderness.  Thus,  in  God's  mysterious  gov- 
ernment of  this  world,  the  consequences  of  the  crimes 
of  the  vilest  men  fell  with  awful  desolation  upon  the 
heads  of  the  best  of  men. 

The  Indians  had  no  circulating  medium.  Indeed 
they  had  no  trade  among  themselves.  In  illustration 
of  the  benefits  which  the  coming  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  conferred  upon  them,  let  us  again  refer  to  the 
trading-post  established,  about  twenty  miles  south 
from  Plymouth,  at  Manomet,  now  Sandwich.  Here, 
upon  a  small  but  navigable  stream,  a  dwelling  and 
storehouses  were  erected,  where  canoes  and  coasting 
vessels  from  all  along  the  shore,  as  far  as  New  Am- 
sterdam, at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson,  could  meet 
in  the  exchange  of  their  articles  of  value.  A  land 
carriage  of  but  about  six  miles,  over  the  neck  of  the 
Cape,  the  Suez  of  America,  as  it  was  then  called, 
brought  them  to  the  waters  of  Massachusetts  Bay, 
and  to  intercourse  with  all  the  settlements  and  Indian 
villages  scattered  along  its  shores.  Indian  runners 
could  easily  transport  the  light  articles  of  traffic,  and 
thus  the  dangerous  passage  around  the  vast  peninsula 
of  Cape  Cod  was  avoided.  Some  circulating  medium 
seemed  essential  in  the  trade  thus  commenced  and 
rapidly  extending. 

The   Narragansets   and    Pequots,  residing  upon 


27O  MILES   STANDISII. 

Narraganset  and  Buzzard's  Bays,  made,  from  the  small 
shells  of  a  species  of  clam,  a  very  beautiful  ornamen- 
tal belt,  called  wampum.  The  shells,  graceful  in 
form,  beautifully  colored  and  highly  polished,  were 
strung  like  beads,  by  a  hole  drilled  through  the  cen- 
tre, or  were  woven  into  rich  embroidery.  Three 
purple  shells  or  six  white  ones  were  considered  equiv- 
alent to  an  English  penny.  A  string,  two  yards  in 
length,  was  valued  at  five  shillings.  The  Dutch, 
from  New  Amsterdam,  sent  cargoes  to  this  trading- 
post.  Thus  sugar,  cloths  of  various  texture,  cutlery 
and  garden  tools  were  obtained  by  the  Indians. 
Friendly  relations  existed,  and  the  happiness  thus 
fostered  might  have  continued  uninterrupted  but  for 
the  wickedness  of  men  who  were  strangers  to  the 
principles  which  animated  the  Pilgrims. 

A  powerful  Indian  chief  had  his  seat  upon  an  ad- 
joining hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  a  busy  Indian  village 
was  nestled.  When  the  Dutch,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Hudson,  first  heard  of  this  post,  they  sent  a  small 
trading-vessel  to  it,  with  very  friendly  letters  to  Gov- 
ernor Bradford.  They  landed  and  marched  up  to  the 
trading-house,  accompanied  by  a  band  of  music.  The 
trumpet  notes,  reverberating  through  those  wilds, 
must  have  emptied  the  Indian  village  to  gaze  upon 
the  unwonted  scene.  The  Dutch  commander  sent 
,an  Indian  runner  to  Governor  Bradford,  requesting 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  2/1 

him  to  send  a  boat  for  him  to  the  other  side  of  the 
bay,  as  he  could  not  travel  so  far  on  foot  through  the 
Indian  trails.  A  boat  was  at  once  despatched  to 
what  is  now  called  Scussett,  and  the  chief  men  of  the 
Dutch  party  were  conveyed  to  Plymouth,  where  they 
were  received  with  the  highest  honors.  They  re- 
mained several  days  with  the  Pilgrims,  enjoying  their 
profuse  hospitality,  and  were  then  sent  back  in  the 
boat.  The  friendly  intercourse  thus  commenced,  was 
continued  for  several  years  uninterrupted.  Governor 
Bradford,  speaking  of  the  trade  thus  introduced,  and 
of  its  great  advantage  to  the  Indians,  writes  : 

"  But  that  which  turned  most  to  their  profit,  in 
time,  was  an  entrance  into  the  trade  of  wampum. 
Strange  it  was  to  see  the  great  alteration  it  made  in 
a  few  years  among  the  Indians  themselves.  For  all 
the  Indians  of  these  parts  and  the  Massachusetts  had 
none  or  very  little  of  it,  excepting  the  chief  and  some 
special  persons,  who  wore  a  little  of  it  for  ornament. 
It  being  only  made  and  kept  by  the  Pequots  and  Nar- 
ragansets,  who  grew  rich  and  potent  by  it ;  whereas, 
the  rest,  who  use  it  not,  are  poor  and  beggarly. 

"  Neither  did  the  English  of  this  plantation,  or 
any  other  in  the  land,  till  now,  that  they  had  knowl- 
edge of  it  from  the  Dutch,  so  much  as  know  what  it 
was,  much  less  that  it  was  a  commodity  of  that  worth 
and  value.  But  after  it  grew  thus  to  be  a  commodity 


2/2  MILES   STANDISH. 

in  these  parts,  these  Indians  fell  into  it  also,  and  to 
learn  how  to  make  it.  It  hath  now  continued  a  cur- 
rent commodity  about  this  twenty  years,  and  it  may 
prove  a  drug  in  time.  In  the  mean  time  it  makes  the 
Indians  of  these  parts  rich  and  powerful." 

Such  were  the  humble  beginnings  of  the  com- 
merce of  New  England.  The  very  spot  upon  which 
this  trading-house  stood  can  now  be  pointed  out. 
"  On  it  may  the  traveller  pause  and  reflect  how  things 
then  were  !  how  they  now  are  !  Now,  on  what  sea, 
to  what  coast  of  the  habitable  globe  have  not  their 
descendants  carried  the  products  of  their  soil  and  in- 
dustry, outstripping  all  other  nations,  with  only  Eng- 
land as  a  rival."  * 

In  the  year  1630  the  first  public  execution  took 
place.  It  will  be  remembered  that  one  John  Billing- 
ton,  a  man  of  worthless  character,  had,  in  some  way, 
smuggled  himself  into  the  company  of  the  Pilgrims. 
He  had  two  boys,  who  seem  to  have  been  as  worth- 
less as  he  himself.  Governor  Bradford  had  written 
of  him,  "  He  is  a  knave,  and  so  will  live  and  die." 
He  had  already,  in  1621,  for  vile  abuse  of  Captain 
Standish,  been  condemned  to  have  his  neck  and  heels 
tied  together.  For  some  alleged  injury  or  insult,  he 
waylaid  and  shot  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  John 
Newcomen.  The  murderer  had  adopted  the  opinion 

*  Life  of  Elder  William  Brevvster,  p  335. 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  2/3 

that  the  colonists  had  no  power  granted  them  to  inflict 
capital  punishment.  He  had  a  fair  trial  before  a  jury 
of  twelve  men.  There  was  no  doubt  whatever  re- 
specting his  guilt.  The  court  had  some  doubt  as  to 
its  authority  to  inflict  the  penalty  of  death,  since  the 
Council,  from  whom  its  authority  was  derived,  had 
no  such  power.  The  advice  of  Governor  Winthrop 
was  sought,  and  that  of  the  ablest  men  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts colony.  They  advised,  with  perfect  unanim- 
ity, "  that  the  murderer  ought  to  die,  and  the  land  be 
purged  from  blood."  He  was  accordingly  executed 
in  October,  1630. 

In  the  year  1631,  a  singular  event  occurred.  A 
very  eccentric  man,  calling  himself  Sir  Christopher 
Gardner,  visited  Massachusetts.  He  was  descended, 
it  is  said,  from  the  illustrious  house  of  the  Bishop  of 
Winchester,  and  in  his  extended  travels  had  visited 
nearly  all  quarters  of  the  globe.  At  Jerusalem,  he 
had  been  made  knight  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  Weary, 
as  he  said,  of  the  world,  and  desiring  to  do  penance, 
by  bodily  mortification,  for  his  sins,  he  came  to  the 
Pilgrims,  offering  to  perform  the  most  menial  services 
for  his  living.  Still  he  brought  over  with  him  two 
servants,  and  a  very  fine-looking  woman  whom  he 
called  his  cousin.  He  endeavored  to  join  the  church, 
but  they  would  not  receive  him.  Being  guilty  of  con- 
duct for  which  he  was  about  to  be  arrested  and  brought 


274  MILES   STANDISH. 

to  trial,  he  fled  into  the  wilderness,  and  took  refuge 
with  the  Indians.  The  Massachusetts  authorities 
offered  a  reward  for  his  capture  and  return  to  them. 

Some  of  the  Namasket  Indians  came  to  Governor 
Bradford,  from  the  vicinity  of  Middleborough,  and 
told  him  where  Sir  Christopher  was,  and  that  they 
could  easily  kill  him,  but  could  not  easily  take  him 
alive ;  that  he  was  a  desperate  man,  and  had  a  gun 
and  sword,  and  that  he  would  certainly  kill  some  of 
them  should  they  attempt  to  take  him.  The  Gover- 
nor told  them  by  no  means  to  kill  him,  but  to  watch 
their  opportunity  and  to  capture  him.  They  did  so, 
and  catching  him  one  day  by  the  side  of  a  river,  en- 
deavored to  surround  him.  In  his  attempts  to  escape, 
by  getting  into  a  canoe  to  cross  the  stream,  as  he 
presented  his  musket  to  his  pursuers,  to  keep  them 
off  the  frail  structure  of  bark,  swept  by  the  current 
against  a  rock,  turned  under  him,  and  he  was  thrown, 
with  his  musket,  into  the  water.  Dripping,  he  reached 
the  shore,  his  musket  no  longer  of  any  use,  and  his 
only  resource  the  rapier.  He  brandished  that  so 
fiercely  that  the  Indians  did  not  dare  close  in  upon 
him.  They,  however,  got  some  long  poles,  and  with 
blows  such  as  savages  would  be  likely  to  strike,  beat 
the  sword  out  of  his  hands,  fearfully  bruising  and 
mangling  them. 

He  being  thus  disarmed  and  rendered  helpless, 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  275 

* 

they  seized  him  and  conveyed  him  to  Governor  Brad- 
ford. As  the  Governor  looked  upon  the  poor  man, 
with  his  arms  and  hands  terribly  inflamed  and  swollen, 
the  Indians  said :  "  We  did  not  hurt  him  ;  we  only 
whipped  him  a  little  with  our  sticks."  The  Governor 
censured  the  Indians  for  beating  him  so  cruelly,  and 
had  his  wounds  tenderly  nursed.  Some  papers  upon 
his  person  showed  that  he  was  a  concealed  papist, 
and  one  who  had  enjoyed  the  highest  advantages  of 
university  education.  Governor  Winthrop,  being  in- 
formed of  his  apprehension,  caused  him  to  be  brought 
to  Massachusetts,  and  then  sent  him  immediately  to 
England. 

This  man  sent  in  a  petition,  which  two  others 
signed,  to  the  British  Government,  condemning  se- 
verely both  the  colonies  of  Plymouth  and  Massachu- 
setts, stating  that  they  intended  rebellion  ;  "that  they 
meant  to  be  wholly  separate  from  the  church  and 
laws  of  England,  and  that  their  ministers  and  people 
did  continually  rail  against  the  state,  the  church  and 
the  bishops." 

Sir  Richard  Saltonstall,  and  two  other  prominent 
members  of  the  Massachusetts  colony,  were  then  in 
England.  They  were  called  before  the  Council  to 
answer  the  accusation.  They  did  it  in  writing,  and 
so  satisfactorily,  as  to  draw  from  the  Council  a  vote  of 
approbation  instead  of  condemnation.  They  were 


2/6  MILES   STANDISH. 

I 
also  informed  that,  as  freedom  of  religious  worship  was 

one  of  the  principal  reasons  of  emigration  to  New 
England,  and  that,  as  it  was  important  to  the  govern- 
ment to  strengthen  New  England,  it  was  not  the  in- 
tention of  his  Majesty  to  impose  the  ceremonies  of 
the  Church  of  England  upon  the  colonists. 

The  first  party  of  colonists  for  Massachusetts 
embarked  in  six  vessels.  It  consisted  of  three  hun- 
dred men,  eighty  women,  married  and  single,  and 
twenty-six  children,  with  an  abundant  outfit  of  food, 
clothing,  tools,  and  military  weapons,  and  "a  plentiful 
provision  of  godly  ministers."  Mr.  Francis  Higgin- 
son,  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  these  emigrants, 
soon  after  his  arrival  wrote  home  saying  : 

"  When  we  first  came  to  Naumkeag,  we  found 
about  half  a  score  of  houses,  and  a  fair  house  newly 
built  for  the  Governor.  We  found  also  abundance  of 
corn  planted  by  them,  very  good  and  well  liking. 
And  we  brought  with  us  about  two  hundred  passen- 
gers and  planters  more,  which,  by  common  consent 
of  the  old  planters,  were  all  combined  together  in  one 
body  politic,  under  the  same  Governor.  There  are 
in  all  of  us,  both  old  and  new  planters,  about  three 
hundred,  whereof  two  hundred  of  them  are  settled  at 
Naumkeag,  now  called  Salem,  and  the  rest  have 
planted  themselves  at  Massachusetts  Bay,  beginning 
to  build  a  town  there  which  we  do  call  Charlesto  ivn. 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  2/7 

"  But  that  which  is  our  greatest  comfort  and 
means  of  defense  above  all  others  is,  that  we  have 
here  the  true  religion  and  holy  ordinances-  of  Al- 
mighty God  taught  among  us.  Thanks  be  to  God 
we  have  here  plenty  of  preaching  and  catechizing, 
with  strict  and  careful  exercise  and  good  and  com- 
mendable orders  to  bring  our  people  into  a  Christian- 
conversation,  with  whom  we  have  to  do  withal.  And 
thus  we  doubt  not  that  God  will  be  with  us ;  and  if 
God  be  with  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ? "  ° 

About  that  time  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  by  the 
name  of  William  Blackstone,  was  the  sole  occupant 
and  proprietor  of  the  peninsula  of  Boston,  then  called 
Shawmut.  The  water  at  Charlestown  was  not  good. 
But  there  was  a  very  fine  supply  of  crystal  water 
gushing  abundantly  from  a  spring  in  Shawmut.  Rev. 
Mr.  Blackstone,  had  left  England  because  "  he  dis- 
liked the  power  of  the  Lords-Bishops."  By  his  in- 
vitation many  were  led  to  transfer  their  habitations 
across  the  water,  to  the  forest-covered  peninsula, 
and  thus  were  laid  the  foundations  of  the  renowned 
capital  of  New  England. 

In  the  year  1632  Plymouth  colony  was  in  a  state 
of  greater  prosperity  than  ever  before.  Increasing 
troubles  in  England  and  encouraging  reports  from 
America  gave  new  impetus  to  the  spirit  of  emigra 

*  Higginson's  New  England  Plantation,  p.  123. 


278  MILES   STANDISH. 

tion.  The  products  of  agriculture  were  in  greater 
demand.  Cattle  of  all  kinds  had  much  increased, 
and  brought  high  prices.  More  land  was  required 
for  cultivation.  All  the  land  in  Plymouth  was  occu- 
pied, and  still  new  settlers  were  coming.  Fears  of 
any  attack  on  the  part  of  the  Indians  had  greatly 
subsided.  Enterprising  men  began  to  push  into  the 
surrounding  region,  seeking  choice  localities  and 
larger  farms. 

Just  across  the  bay  of  Plymouth,  on  the  north, 
there  was  a  reach  of  land  commanding  a  fine  view 
of  the  little  settlement  at  Plymouth  and  of  the 
adjacent  waters.  Captain  Standish  selected  for  him- 
self a  very  attractive  location  there,  including  what  is 
still  called  "  Captain's  Hill."  Here  the  descendants 
of  an  ancestor  so  illustrious  are  now  rearing  a  monu- 
ment to  his  memory. 

The  town  was  named  Duxbury,  in  honor  of  the 
captain,  as  that  was  the  name  of  the  seat  which  his 
family  occupied  in  England.  Elder  Brewster  took  a 
farm  by  his  side.  Here  both  of  these  distinguished 
men,  warm  friends,  could  often  be  seen  in  their  soli- 
tary fields,  clearing  away  the  forests,  where  no 
sound  of  the  axe  had  ever  before  been  heard  since 
the  creation  of  the  world.  These  lands  were  deemed 
among  the  best  in  the  colony.  Governor  Bradford 


INCREASE   OF  THE   SETTLEMENTS.  279 

seems  to  have  deplored  the  gradual  dispersion  of  the 
colonists.  He  wrote  in  terms  of  lamentation  : 

"  Now  as  their  stocks  increased  and  their  increase 
was  vendible,  there  was  no  longer  holding  them  to- 
gether. They  could  not  otherwise  keep  their  cattle  ; 
and  having  oxen  grown  they  must  have  land  for 
ploughing  and  tillage.  And  no  man  now  thought 
he  could  live,  except  he  had  cattle  and  a  great  deal 
of  ground  to  keep  them  ;  all  striving  to  increase  their 
stocks.  By  which  means  they  were  scattered  all  over 
the  bay,  and  the  town,  in  which  they  lived  compactly 
till  now,  was  left  very  thin,  and,  in  a  short  time, 
almost  desolate.  And  if  this  had  been  all,  it  had 
been  less,  though  too  much  ;  but  the  church  must 
also  be  divided. 

"  Those  that  lived  on  their  lots,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  bay,  called  Duxbury,  could  not  long  bring  their 
wives  and  children  to  public  worship  and  church 
meetings  here  ;  but  they  sued  to  be  dismissed  and  to' 
become  a  body  of  themselves.  So  they  were  dis- 
missed, though  very  unwillingly.  To  prevent  any 
further  scattering  from  this  place,  it  was  thought  best 
to  give  out  some  good  farms  to  special  persons  who 
would  promise  to  live  at  Plymouth,  and  who  would  be 
likely  to  be  helpful  to  the  church  or  commonwealth, 
nnd  so  to  tie  the  lands  to  Plymouth  as  farms  for  the 
same.  There  they  might  keep  their  cattle,  and  till 


230  MILES   STANDISH. 

the  land  by  some  servants,  and  retain  their  dwellings 
here. 

"  And  so  some  special  lands  were  granted  at  a 
place  general,  called  Green's  Harbor,  (Marshfield) 
where  no  allotments  had  been  in  the  former  division ; 
a  place  very  well  meadowed  and  fit  to  keep  and  rear 
cattle,  in  good  store.  But  alas !  this  remedy  proved 
worse  than  the  disease.  For  within  a  few  years  those 
that  had  thus  got  footing  tore  themselves  away,  partly 
by  force,  and  partly  by  wearing  out  the  rest  with  im- 
portunity and  pleas  of  necessity,  so  that  they  must 
either  suffer  them  to  go,  or  live  in  continual  opposition 
and  contention.  This  I  fear  will  be  the  ruin  of  New 
England,  at  least  of  the  churches  of  God  there."  ";"' 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation.  » 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish. 

Removal  to  Duxbury. — Intercourse  with  the  Dutch. — Trading  Posts 
on  the  Connecticut. — Legend  of  the  courtship  of  Miles  Standish. 
— Personal  Appearance  of  the  Captain. — Proposition  to  John 
Alden. — His  Anguish  and  Fidelity. — Interview  with  Priscilla. — 
The  Indian  Alarm. — Departure  of  Captain  Standish. — Report  of 
his  Death.— The  Wedding. 

Notwithstanding  the  removal  of  Captain  Standish 
across  the  bay,  to  his  beautiful  and  fertile  farm  there, 
he  still  took  a  very  lively  interest  in  everything  re- 
lating to  the  welfare  of  the  colony,  and  of  the  little 
village  which  he  had  been  so  instrumental  in  found- 
ing. Mr.  Bradford  had  for  twelve  successive  years 
been  chosen  Governor.  He  was  anxious  to  be  re- 
leased from  the  cares  of  office.  In  the  annual  election 
of  1633,  he  importuned  for  release  so  earnestly  that 
the  people  yielded  to  his  request,  and  chose  Edward 
Winslow  as  his  successor.  At  the  same  time  seven 
assistants  were  chosen,  of  whom  Captain  Miles  Stand- 
ish was  the  first. 

The  Dutch,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson,  had 
explored  the  Connecticut  river.  The  natives  were 
anxious  to  have  a  trading  post  established  on  that 


282  MILES   STANDISH. 

beautiful  stream,  which  was  lined  with  Indian  tribes 
They  sent  a  delegation  to  Plymouth  with  this  request. 
The  Pilgrims  were  not  prepared  to  commence  a  set- 
tlement there,  but  they  sent  a  small  vessel  up  the 
river,  and  had  great  success  in  their  traffic.  The  In- 
dians then  applied  to  the  Governor  of  the  Massachu- 
setts colony.  But  he  was  not  inclined  to  embark  in 
an  enterprise  so  difficult,  where  the  post  could  only  be 
reached  by  a  long  and  perilous  voyage  around  Cape 
Cod,  or  by  a  journey  of  many  days  through  a  path- 
less forest. 

Some  however  of  the  private  members  of  both 
of  these  colonies  foreseeing  the  danger  that  the  Dutch 
might  anticipate  them  there,  held  a  conference  at 
Boston  with  some  of  the  prominent  men  of  Plymouth, 
and  tried  to  form  a  partnership  to  engage  in  the  un- 
dertaking. They  were  however  discouraged  by  the 
representations  which  were  made  to  them.  It  was 
urged  that  the  Indians  were  very  numerous,  that  they 
could  bring  many  thousand  warriors  into  the  field, 
that  many  of  them  were  hostile,  that  the  river  was 
difficult  of  access  in  consequence  of  a  bar,  and  that 
during  seven  months  in  the  year  it  was  closed  by  ice. 
Thus  influenced,  they  abandoned  the  enterprise. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Earl  of  Warwick  had  ob- 
tained a  patent  of  all  the  land,  extending  west,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  Narraganset  Bay,  to 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        283 

the  Dutch  settlements  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson. 
This  included  the  whole  of  the  present  State  of  Con- 
necticut. The  Dutch  heard  of  this,  and  prepared  to 
anticipate  the  English,  by  making  an  immediate  set- 
tlement on  the  Connecticut  River.  This  roused  Gov- 
ernor Winslow  and  ex-Governor  Bradford,  and  they 
determined  immediately  to  commence  a  settlement  in 
that  region.  At  the  same  time,  they  sent  a  courteous 
message  to  Governor  Winthrop,  expressing  the  hope 
that  their  brethren  of  Massachusetts  would  not  be 

4 

displeased  with  their  adventure,  since  the  Massachu- 
setts colony  had  declined  embarking  in  the  enter 
prise. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Dutch  had  dispatched  an 
expedition,  accompanied  by  quite  an  armed  force, 
which  ascended  the  river  and,  disembarking  where 
Hartford  now  stands,  erected  a  fort  and  commenced 
a  settlement.  Two  pieces  of  ordnance  were  placec1 
in  position  to  sweep  the  river ;  and  they  loudly  pro- 
claimed that  they  should  not  allow  any  of  the  English 
to  pass  by. 

The  Plymouth  colonists  took  a  small  vessel,  which 
could  easily  cross  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
and  placed  on  board  of  it  the  frame  of  a  house,  with 
all  the  materials  for  putting  it  together.  The  expe- 
dition was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Holmes.  When 
they  arrived  opposite  Hartford,  the  Dutch,  standing 


284  MILES   STANDISH. 

by  their  guns  with  lighted  matches,  ordered  them  to 
stop,  threatening  to  shoot  if  they  did  not  immediately 
comply  with  the  demand.  But  Holmes  pushed  boldly 
by,  and  the  Dutch  commander  did  not  venture  to  pro- 
ceed to  those  measures  of  violence,  which  would 
surely  have  brought  down  upon  the  Dutch  colonies 
the  vengeance  of  the  British  navy. 

Lieutenant  Holmes  proceeded  a  short  distance 
farther  up  the  river,  to  a  place  called  Nattawanute, 

now  Windsor,  where,  near  the  mouth  of  a  little  stream, 

t 

he  put  up  his  house,  which  was  both  fort  and  dwell- 
ing, surrounded  it  with  palisades,  and,  unfurling  the 
British  flag,  was  ready  to  bid  defiance  to  all  foes, 
whether  Dutch  or  Indians. 

The  Dutch  commander  at  Hartford  sent  woru  to 
the  authorities  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  of  what 
had  been  done.  Governor  Van  Twiller  dispatched 
an  armed  band  of  seventy  men,  with  orders  to  tear 
down  the  house  at  Windsor  and  drive  away  the  occu- 
pants. He  supposed  that  this  could  easily  be  done 
without  any  bloodshed,  and  thus  without  necessarily 
introducing  war.  But  the  intrepid  Holmes  was  ready 
for  battle  against  any  odds.  The  leader  of  the  Dutch 
party  saw  that  a  fierce  conflict  must  take  place,  and 
one  uncertain  in  its  results.  He  therefore  came  to  a 
parley  and  finally  retired.  An  immense  quantity  of 
furs,  beaver  and  otter  skins,  was  this  year  sent  to 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        285 

England,  which  enabled  the  company  to  meet  all  its 
obligations. 

It  would  be  hardly  warrantable,  in  a  Life  of  Cap- 
tain Miles  Standish,  to  omit  reference  to  a  remarkable 
legend  with  which  his  name  has  evei  been  associated, 
though  some  have  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  was 
not  very  clearly  verified  by  authentic  documents.  A 
literary  gentleman  who  has  investigated  the  subject 
more  thoroughly  probably  than  any  other  person, 
writes  in  reference  to  these  doubts :  "The  anecdote  is 
in  all  the  histories.  Why  should  it  not  be  true  ?  I 
am  inclined  to  think  it  is  ;  and  am  willing  to  back  it 
against  most  historic  facts  that  are  two  hundred  years  - 
old."  The  story,  as  it  has  drifted  down  to  our  times, 
is  in  brief  as  follows.  We  give  it  as  presented  by 
Mr.  Longfellow,  in  his  exquisite  poem  entitled  "  The 
Courtship  of  Miles  Standish."  It  is  very  evident  that 
Mr.  Longfellow  had  minutely  studied  our  early  colo- 
nial history,  as  the  reader  will  perceive  that  he  is  very 
accurate  in  his  historical  allusions.  The  poem  opens 
with  a  description  of  Captain  Standish,  in  his  lonely 
and  humble  log  hut.  His  beautiful  wife,  Rose,  was 
one  of  the  first  who  had  died,  and  the  place  of  her 
burial,  like  that  of  others,  was  carefully  concealed, 
that  the  Indians  might  not  perceive  how  the  colony 
had  become  weakened : 


286  MILES   STANDISH. 

"  In  the  old  colonial  days,  in  Plymouth,  the  land  of  the  Pilgrims, 
To  and  fro  in  a  room  of  his  simple  and  primitive  dwelling, 
Clad  in  doublet  and  hose  and  boots  of  Cordovan  leather, 
Strode  with  a  martial  air  Miles  Standish,  the  Puritan  Captain. 
Buried  in  thought  he  seemed,  with  his  hands  behind  him,  and  pausing 
Ever  and  anon  to  behold  his  glittering  weapons  of  warfare, 
Cutlass  and  corslet  of  steel,  and  his  trusty  sword  of  Damascus, 
Curved  at  the  point  and  inscribed  with  its  mystical  Arabic  sentence, 
While  underneath  in  a  corner  were  fowling  piece,  musket  and  match- 
lock. 

Short  of  stature  he  was,  but  strongly  built  and  athletic, 
Broad  in  the  shoulders,  deep  chested,  with  muscles  and  sinews  of  iron, 
Brown  as  a  nut  was  his  face,  but  his  russet  beard  was  already 
Flaked  with  patches  of  snow,  as  hedges  sometimes  in  November." 

A  very  handsome  young  man,  by  the  name  of 
John  Alden,  shared  with  Captain  Standish  the  com- 
forts and  discomforts  of  the  widower's  home.  He  had 
fair  hair,  azure  eyes  and  a  Saxon  complexion,  and  was 
sufficiently  unlike  the  Captain  for  them  to  be  very 
warm  friends.  There  could  be  no  rivalry  between 
the  gentle  young  man  of  books  and  romance,  and  the 
stern  veteran  of  facts  and  the  sword.  John  Alden 
was  deeply  in  love  with  Priscilla,  the  most  beautiful 
maiden  in  Plymouth.  Death  had  robbed  her  of  both 
father  and  mother,  and  she  was  equally  in  love  with 
John.  But  the  bashful  student  had  not  yet  summoned 
courage  to  declare  his  love.  But  it  so  happened  that 
Captain  Standish,  without  any  knowledge  of  his 
friend's  state  of  mind,  had  also  turned  his  eyes  to 
Priscilla,  as  the  successor  of  Rose.  Conscious  of  his 
own  imperfections  as  a  lady's  man,  and  fearful  that  he 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        287 

could  not  woo  the  beautiful  maiden  in  fitting  phrase, 
he  applied  to  his  scholarly  friend  to  speak  in  his  be- 
half. In  the  following  melodious  strains  the  poet 
gives  utterance  to  the  Captain's  speech : 

"  'Tis  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone,  say  the  scriptures, 

This  I  have  said  before,  and  again  and  again  I  repeat  it, 

Every  hour  in  the  day  I  think  it,  and  feel  it,  and  say  it. 

Since  Rose  Standish  died,  my  life  has  been  weary  and  dreary, 

Sick  at  heart  have  I  been,  beyond  the  healing  of  friendship. 

Oft,  in  my  lonely  hours,  have  I  thought  of  the  maiden  Priscilla; 

She  is  alone  in  the  world ;  her  father  and  mother  and  brother 

Died  in  the  winter  together.     I  saw  her  going  and  coming, 

Now  to  the  grave  of  the  dead,  now  to  the  bed  of  the  dying, 

Patient,  courageous  and  strong,  and  said  to  myself,  that  if  ever 

There  were  angels  on  earth,  as  there  are  angels  in  heaven, 

Two  have  I  seen  and  known ;  and  the  angel,  whose  name  is  Priscilla, 

Holds  in  my  desolate  life  the  place  which  the  other  abandoned. 

Long  have  I  cherished  the  thought,  but  never  have  dared  to  reveal  it, 

Being  a  coward  in  this,  but  valiant  enough  for  the  most  part. 

Go  to  the  damsel  Priscilla,  the  loveliest  maiden  of  Plymouth, 

Say  that  a  blunt  old  captain,  a  man  not  of  words  but  of  actions. 

Offers  his  hand  and  his  heart,  the  hand  and  heart  of  a  soldier ; 

Not  in  these  words,  you  know,  but  this  in  short  is  my  meaning. 

I  am  a  maker  of  war,  and  not  a  maker  of  phrases  ; 

You,  who  are  bred  as  a  scholar,  can  say  it  in  elegant  language, 

Such  as  you  read  in  your  books  of  the  pleadings  and  wooings  of  lovers, 

Such  as  you  think  best  adapted  to  win  the  heart  of  a  maiden. 

Poor  John  Alden,  the  fair-haired,  timid  youth,  was 
aghast,  overwhelmed  with  anguish.  He  tried  to 
smile,  but  the  nerves  of  his  face  twitched  with  pain- 
ful convulsions.  He  endeavored  to  excuse  himself, 
but  his  impetuous  friend,  whose  commanding  mind 
overawed  him,  would  listen  to  no  excuse.  To  all 
John's  remonstrances  he  replied : 


288  MILES   STANDISH. 

"  I  was  never  a  maker  of  phrases. 

I  can  march  up  to  a  fortress,  and  summon  the  place  to  surrender ; 
But  march  up  to  a  woman,  with  such  a  proposal,  I  dare  not 
I  am  not  afraid  of  bullets,  nor  shot  from  the  mouth  of  a  cannon, 
But  of  a  thundering  '  no ! '  point  blank  from  the  mouth  of  a  woman,    - 
That  I  confess  I'm  afraid  of,  nor  am  I  ashamed  to  confess  it." 

John  Alden,  anguish-stricken  as  he  was,  could  not 
refuse.  The  strong  mind  dominated  over  the  weaker 
one.  Agitated,  almost  convulsed  with  contending 
emotions,  he  entered  the  paths  of  the  forest,  crossed 
the  brook  which  ran  south  of  the  village,  and  gathering 
a  handful  of  wild  flowers,  almost  in  delirium,  ap- 
proached the  lonely  dwelling  of  Priscilla.  As  he 
drew  near,  he  heard  her  sweet  voice  singing  a  hymn 
as  she  walked  to  and  fro  beside  the  spinning-wheel. 
Priscilla  met  him  on  the  threshold,  with  a  cordial 
greeting,  hoping  that  he  had  come  to  declare  his  love. 
He  was  greatly  embarrassed,  and  after  a  long  parley, 
very  awkwardly  blurted  out  the  words,  that  he  had 
come  with  an  offer  of  marriage  from  Captain  Miles 
Standish.  Priscilla  was  amazed,  grieved,  wounded. 
With  eyes  dilated  with  sadness  and  wonder,  she 
looked  into  John's  face  and  said,  after  a  few  moments 
of  ominous  silence : 

"  If  the  great  Captain  of  Plymouth  is  so  eager  to  wed  me, 
Why  does  he  not  come  himself  and  take  the  trouble  to  woo  me  ? 
If  I  am  not  worth  the  wooing,  I  surely  am  not  worth  the  winning." 

John,  exceedingly  embarrassed,  said,  in  unfortu- 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES  STANDISH.        289 

tunate  phrase,  that  the  captain  was  very  busy,  and 
had  no  time  for  such  things.  The  offended  maiden 
replied  : 

"  Has  he  no  time  for  such  things,  as  you  call  it,  before  he  is  married ; 
Would  he  be  likely  to  find  it,  or  make  it,  after  the  wedding?  " 

Quite  forgetting  himself,  John  launched  forth  elo- 
quently in  the  praise  of  his  military  friend, 

"  Spoke  of  his  courage  and  skill,  and  all  his  battles  in  Flanders, 
How  with  the  people  of  God  he  had  chosen  to  suffer  affliction, 
How,  in  return  for  his  zeal,   they  had  made  him  Captain  of  Ply- 
mouth. 

He  was  a  gentleman  born,  conld  trace  his  pedigree  plainly 
Back  to  Hugh  Standish,  of  Duxbury  Hall,  in  Lancashire,  England, 
Who  was  the  son  of  Ralph,  and  the  grandson  of  Thurston  de  Stand- 
ish ; 

Heir  unto  vast  estates,  of  which  he  was  basely  defrauded, 
Still  bore  the  family  arms,  and  had  for  his  crest  a  cock  argent 
Combed  and  wattled  gules,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  blazon. 
He  was  a  man  of  honor,  of  noble  and  generous  nature ; 
Though  he  was  rough,  he  was  kindly;    she  knew  how,  during  the 

winter, 

He  had  attended  the  sick,  with  a  hand  as  gentle  as  woman's. 
Somewhat  hasty  and  hot,  he  could  not  deny  it,  and  headstrong, 
Stern  as  a  soldier  might  be,  but  hearty  and  placable  always ; 
Not  to  be  laughed  at  and  scorned,  because  he  was  little  of  stature, 
For  he  was  great  of  heart,  magnanimous,  courtly,  courageous  ; 
Any  woman  in  Plymouth,  nay,  any  woman  in  England, 
Might  be  happy  and  proud  to  be  called  the  wife  of  Miles  Standish." 

As  Priscilla  listened  to  this  glowing  and  eloquent 

eulogy,  it  only  increased  her  admiration  for  the  young 

and  beautiful  John  Alden.     She  had  long  loved  him. 

Maidenly  instinct  taught  her  that  she  also  was  beloved 

'3 


290  MILES   STANDISH. 

by  him.  Though  this  love  had  never  been  communi- 
cated to  her  in  words,  it  had  again  and  again  been 
expressed  in  loud-speaking  glances  of  the  eye  and  in 
actions.  With  tremulous  voice  she  ventured  to  reply, 
"  Why  don't  you  speak  for  yourself,  John  ?  " 

The  tone,  the  look  which  accompanied  the  words, 
revealed  at  once,  to  the  bashful  youth,  the  love  of 
Priscilla.  A  tempest  of  conflicting  emotions  rushed 
into  his  soul.  How  could  the  magnanimous  youth 
plead  his  own  cause,  and  thus  apparently  betray  his 
friend.  Perplexed,  bewildered,  he  burst  from  the 
house,  like  an  insane  man ;  hurried  to  the  sea  shore, 
wandered  along  the  sands,  where  the  surf  was  break- 
ing with  loud  roar  ;  bared  his  head  to  the  ocean 
breeze,  and  endeavored  in  vain  to  cool  the  fever,  which 
seemed  to  burn  in  both  body  and  soul.  His  tender 
conscience  condemned  him  as  being  unfaithful  to  his 
friend. 

He  could  not,  without  a  sense  of  guilt,  suppplant 
his  friend  ;  and  he  could  not  live  in  Plymouth  and 
refuse  the  hand  of  Priscilla,  so  delicately  and  yet  so 
decidedly  proffered.  Heroically  he  resolved  to  re- 
turn to  England. 

There  was  a  vessel  in  the  harbor  which  was  to 
sail  on  the  morrow.  The  poet  speaks  of  it  as  the  re- 
turning Mayflower.  Chronology  will  hardly  permit  us 
to  accept  that  representation.  Rose  Standish  died 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH,        291 

on  the  8th  of  February,  N.  S.  The  Mayflower  sailed, 
on  her  return  voyage,  the  5th  of  April,  but  two 
months  after  the  death  of  the  wife  Captain  Standish 
so  tenderly  loved.  As  the  frenzied  youth  gazed  upon 
the  vessel  riding  at  anchor,  and  rising  and  falling  upon 
the  ocean  swell,  he  exclaimed  : 

"  Back  will  I  go  o'er  the  ocean,  this  dreary  land  will  abandon, 
Her  whom  I  may  not  love,  and  him  whom  my  heart  has  offended. 
Better  to  be  in  my  grave,  in  the  green  old  churchyard  in  England, 
Close  by  my  mother's  side,  and  among  the  dust  of  my  kindred ; 
Better  be  dead  and  forgotten,  than  living  in  shame  and  dishonor 
Sacred  and  safe  and  unseen,  in  the  dark  of  the  narrow  chamber 
With  me  my  secret  shall  lie,  like  a  buried  jewel  that  glimmers 
Bright  on  the  hand  that  is  dust,  in  the  chambers  of  silence  and  dark- 
ness, 
Yes,  as  the  marriage  ring  of  the  great  espousal  hereafter. 

Thus  resolving  he  hurried,  in  the  gathering  twi- 
light, through  the  glooms  of  the  forest  to  the  "  seven 
houses  "  of  Plymouth.  He  entered  the  door  of  his 
home  and  found  the  Captain  anxiously  awaiting  his 
return.  He  had  been  gone  long  and  was  rather  se- 
verely reproached  for  his  tardiness.  He  then  gave  a 
minute  account  of  the  interview.  But  when  he  came 
to  her  declaration,  "  Why  don't  you  speak  for  yourself, 
John  ?"  the  Captain  rose  from  his  seat  in  a  towering 
passion.  As  he  was  vehemently  uttering  his  reproach- 
es a  messenger  came,  with  the  information  that  hos- 
tile Indians  were  approaching.  Instantly  the  bold 
warrior  forgot  Priscilla,  and  all  his  displeasure  at  John 


292  MILES  STANDISH. 

Alden,  in  contemplation  of  his  immense  responsibili- 
ties as  military  protector  of  the  colony.  Hastily  he 
girded  on  his  armor  and  left  the  house.  He  found 
the  leading  men  already  assembled  in  the  council 
room.  Upon  the  table  lay  the  skin  of  the  rattlesnake, 
to  which  we  have  before  alluded,  filled  with  arrows, 
with  the  Indian  who  brought  it,  by  its  side.  Captain 
Standish  at  once  understood  the  significance  of  the 
mysterious  gift.  He  said, 

"  '  Leave  this  matter  to  me,  for  to  me  by  right  it  pertaineth. 
War  is  a  terrible  trade ;  but  in  the  cause  that  is  righteous 
Sweet  is  the  smell  of  powder  ;  and  thus  I  answer  the  challenge.' 
Then,  from  the  rattlesnake's  skin,  with  a  sudden  contemptuous  gesture, 
Jerking  the  Indian  arrows,  he  filled  it  with  powder  and  bullets, 
Full  to  the  very  jaws  and  handed  it  back  to  the  savage, 
Saying  in  thundering  tones,  '  Here,  take  it !  this  is  your  answer.' 
Silently  out  of  the  room  then  glided  the  glistening  savage, 
Bearing  the  serpent's  skin,  and  seeming  himself  like  a  serpent. 
Winding  his  sinuous  way  in  the  dark  to  the  depths  of  the  forest." 

Early  the  next  morning  Captain  Standish  took 
eight  men,  well  armed,  and  marched,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  Hobomak,  to  the  point  where  he  supposed 
the  hostile  Indians  were  gathering.  The  vessel  was 
about  to  sail.  The  signal  gun  was  fired.  All  the  in- 
habitants of  the  little  village  flocked  to  the  beach. 
The  ship's  boat  was  at  Plymouth  rock,  waiting  to  con- 
vey the  captain  of  the  vessel,  who  was  on  shore,  to 
the  ship.  He  was  bidding  his  friends  adieu  and  cram- 
ming the  capacious  pockets  of  his  storm  coat  with  let- 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        293 

ters  and  packages.  John  Alden,  with  others,  was 
seen  hurrying  down  to  the  sea  shore.  The  captain 
stood  with  one  foot  on  the  rock  and  the  other  on  the 
gunwale  of  the  boat,  speaking  his  last  words  and  just 
ready  to  push  off.  Alden,  in  his  despair,  was  about 
to  enter  the  boat,  without  any  words  of  adieu  to  his 
friends,  thinking  in  absence  and  distance  to  find  re- 
lief to  his  tortured  feelings,  when  he  saw  Priscilla 
looking  sadly  upon  him. 

"  But  as  he  gazed  on  the  crowd,  he  beheld  the  form  of  Priscilla 
Standing  dejected  among  them,  unconscious  of  all  that  passing. 
Fixed  were  her  eyes  upon  his,  as  if  she  divined  his  intention, 
Fixed  with  a  look  so  sad,  so  reproachful,  imploring  and  patient, 
That,  with  a  suden  revulsion,  his  heart  recoiled  from  its  purpose 
As  from  the  verge  of  a  crag,  where  one  step  more  is  destruction." 

Thus  influenced,  he  abandoned  his  intention  of 
returning  to  England  more  suddenly  than  he  had 
formed  it.  As  he  stepped  back  he  said,  with  a  true 
lover's  fervor, 

"  There  is  no  land  so  sacred,  no  air  so  pure  and  so  wholesome 
As  is  the  air  she  breathes,  and  the  soil  that  is  pressed  by  her  foot- 
steps. 

Here  for  her  sake  will  I  stay,  and  like  an  invisible  presence 
Hover  around  her  forever,  protecting,  supporting  her  weakness. 
Yes  !  as  my  foot  was  the  first  that  stepped  on  this  rock  at  the  landing, 
So,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  shall  it  be  the  last  at  the  leaving." 

The  captain  of  the  ship  sprang  into  the  boat, 
waved  an  adieu  to  the  lonely  band  of  exiles,  number- 
ing but  about  fifty  men,  women  and  children,  who 
were  gathered  upon  the  shore,  and  the  boat,  driven 


294  MILES   STANDISH. 

by  the  sturdy  arms  of  the  rowers,  soon  reached  the 
ship.  The  anchor  was  raised,  the  sails  unfurled,  and 
the  only  link  which  seemed  to  connect  them  with  the 
home  of  their  fathers  was  sundered.  Long  the  sad- 
dened Pilgrims  stood  gazing  upon  the  vessel  as  it  re- 
ceded from  their  view,  and  then  returned  to  their 
lowly  cabins,  their  homely  fare,  and  to  the  toils  and 
perils  of  their  life  of  exile. 

"  So  they  returned  to  their  homes ;  but  Alden  lingered  a  little, 
Musing  alone  on  the  shore  and  watching  the  wash  of  the  billows." 

As  he  thus  stood,  lost  in  painful  thought  and  al- 
most distracted  by  the  perplexities  in  which  he  found 
himself  involved,  he  perceived  Priscilla  standing  be- 
side him.  They  had  a  long  conversation  together, 
which  the  poet  manages  with  admirable  skill.  The 
artless,  frank,  affectionate  Priscilla  was  unwittingly 
every  moment  exciting  deeper  emotions  of  tenderness 
and  admiration  in  the  heart  of  her  lover.  And  yet, 
in  the  most  painful  embarrassment  from  respect  to 
his  friend  Miles  Standish,  he  refrained  from  offering 
her,  as  he  longed  to  do,  his  hand  and  heart. 

In  the  mean  time  Captain  Standish,  at  the  head 
of  his  brave  little  band,  was  tramping  through  the 
trails  of  the  forest,  through  thickets  and  morasses, 
over  hills  and  across  streamlets, 

"  All  day  long,  with  hardly  a  halt,  the  fire  of  his  anger, 

Burning  and  crackling  within,  and  the  sulphurous  odor  of  powder, 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        295 

Seeming  more  sweet  to  his  nostrils  than  all  the  scents  of  the  forest. 
Silent  and  moody  he  went,  and  much  he  revolved  his  discomfort." 

After  a  march  of  three  days,  he  is  represented  as 
coming  to  an  Indian  encampment.  The  little  cluster 
of  huts  was  upon  a  meadow,  with  the  gloomy  forest 
on  one  side,  and  the  ocean  surf  breaking  upon  the 
other.  A  few  women  were  scattered  around  among 
the  wigwams.  A  formidable  band  of  warriors,  evi- 
dently on  the  war  path,  plumed  and  painted,  and  thor- 
oughly armed,  were  gathered  around  their  council 
fires.  As  soon  as  they  saw  the  bright  armor  of  the 
Pilgrims,  as  the  brave  little  band  emerged  from  the 
forest,  two  of  the  chiefs,  men  of  gigantic  stature, 
came  forward  to  meet  them.  With  much  historic  ac- 
curacy of  detail  the  poet  describes  the  scene  which 
ensued — a  scene  which  has  been  presented  to  the 
reader  in  the  preceding  narrative. 
•  One  of  these  was  Pecksuot,  the  other  Wattawamat. 
These  burly  savages,  huge  as  Goliath  of  Gath,  met 
Captain  Standish,  at  first  with  deceitful  words,  hoping 
to  disarm  his  suspicions.  Through  Hobbomak,  the 
interpreter,  who  had  accompanied  the  Captain,  they 
proposed  to  barter  their  furs  for  blankets  and  mus- 
kets. But  they  soon  saw,  in  the  flashing  eyes  of 
Captain  Standish,  that  he  was  not  to  'be  thus  be- 
guiled. The  poet,  giving  utterance  to  authentic 
history  in  glowing  verse,  and  making  use  of  al- 


296  MILES   STANDISH. 

most  the  very  expressions  uttered  by  the  savages, 
writes : 

"  Suddenly  changing  their  tone,  they  began  to  boast  and  to  bluster. 
Then  Wattawamat  advanced  with  a  stride  in  front  of  the  other, 
And  with  a  lofty  demeanor,  thus  vauntingly  spake  to  the  Captain  : 
'  Now  Wattawamat  can  see,  by  the  fiery  eyes  of  the  Captain, 
Angry  is  he  in  his  heart ;  but  the  heart  of  the  brave  Wattawamat 
Is  not  afraid  at  the  sight.     He  was  not  born  of  a  woman, 
But  on  the  mountain,  at  night,  from  an  oak  tree  riven  by  lightning.' 
Forth  he  sprang  at  a  bound,  with  all  his  weapons  about  him, 
Shouting,  '  Who  is  there  here  to  fight  with  the  brave  Wattawamat  ?' 
Then  he  unsheathed  his  knife,  and,  whetting  the  blade  on  his  left  hand, 
Held  it  aloft  and  displayed  a  woman's  face  on  the  handle, 
Saying,  with  bitter  expression  and  look  of  sinister  meaning, 
'  I  have  another  at  home,  with  the  face  of  a  man  on  the  handle ; 
By  and  by  they  shall  marry ;  and  there  will  be  plenty  of  children.'  " 

Pecksuot  also  indulged  in  similar  language  and 
gesture  of  insult  and  menace,  brandishing  his  gleam- 
ing knife,  boasting  that  it  could  eat,  though  it  could 
not  speak,  and  telling  the  Captain  that  he  was  so 
small  in  stature  that  he  ought  to  go  and  live  with  the 
women.  Meanwhile  many  Indians  were  seen  stealth- 
ily creeping  around,  from  bush  to  bush  in  the  forest, 
with  the  evident  design  of  making  a  simultaneous  at- 
tack upon  the  little  band  of  white  men.  Some  of 
these  Indians  were  armed  with  muskets,  others  with 
arrows  set  on  their  bow  strings.  Nearer  and  nearer 
they  were  approaching,  to  enclose  him  in  the  net  of 
an  ambush  from  which  there  could  be  no  escape. 
As  Captain  Standish  watched  with  his  eagle  eye  these 
proofs  of  treachery,  and  listened  to  the  insults  and 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH.        297 

threats  of  the  herculean  chiefs,  who,  he  knew,  were 
only  waiting  for  the  fit  moment  to  leap  upon  him, 

"  All  the  hot  blood  of  his  race,  of  Sir  Hugh  and  of  Thurston  de 

Standish, 

Boiled  and  beat  in  his  heart,  and  swelled  in  the  veins  of  his  temples. 
Headlong  he  leaped  on  the  boaster,  and  snatching  his  knife  from  ks 

scabbard, 

Plunged  it  into  his  heart ;  and,  reeling  backward,  the  savage 
Fell  with  his  face  to  the  sky,  and  a  fiend-like  fierceness  upon  it. 
Straight  there  arose  from  the  forest  the  awful  sound  of  the  war-whoop, 
And,  like  a  flurry  of  snow,  on  the  whistling  wind  of  December, 
Swift  and  sudden  and  keen  came  a  flight  of  feathery  arrows." 

This  was  followed  by  a  discharge  of  musketry  from 
the  Pilgrims.  A  bullet  pierced  the  brain  of  Peck- 
suot,  and  he  fell  dead.  The  savages,  having  lost  both 
of  their  chiefs,  fled  like  deer.  As  the  head  of  Wat- 
tawamat,  the  gory  trophy  of  war,  was  sent  to  Ply- 
mouth, and  was  exposed  on  the  roof  of  the  fort,  Pris- 
cilla  averted  her  face  with  terror  and,  shuddering, 
thanked  God  she  had  not  married  such  a  man  of  war 
as  Captain  Standish. 

Month  after  month  passed  away,  while  the  captain 
is  represented  as  scouring  the  land  with  his  forces, 
watching  the  movements  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and 
thwarting  their  intrigues.  Though  Priscilla  had  re- 
fused his  hand,  the  bashful  John  Alden  did  not  feel 
that  he  could,  in  honor,  take  advantage  of  the  absence 
of  his  friend,  the  Captain,  and  seek  her  for  his  bride. 
So  assuming  simply  the  attitude  of  friendship,  the  two 
13* 


298  MILES   STANDISH. 

lovers  lived,  with  some  degree  of  tranquility  and  in 
constant  intimacy,  side  by  side. 

"  Meanwhile,  Alden  at  home  had  built  him  a  new  habitation, 
Solid,  substantial,  of  timber,  rough-hewn  from  the  firs  of  the  forest. 
Wooden-barred  was  the  door,  and  the  roof  was  covered  with  rushes, 
Latticed  the  windows  were,  and  the  window-panes  were  of  paper, 
Oiled  to  admit  the  light,  while  wind  and  rain  were  excluded." 

The  description  which  the  poet  gives  of  the  inter- 
course between  these  simple  children  of  the  wilder- 
ness, whose  hearts  glowed  with  purity  and  love,  is 
beautiful  in  its  pastoral  simplicity.  At  length  the 
tidings,  very  appalling  to  the  Pilgrims,  reached  the 
little  settlement,  that  their  redoubtable  Captain  had 
been  slain  in  a  battle  with  the  Indians — shot  down  by 
a  poisoned  arrow.  It  was  said  that  he  had  been  led 
into  an  ambush,  and,  with  his  whole  band,  had  per- 
ished. John  and  Priscilla  were  together  when  an  In- 
dian brought  this  intelligence  to  Plymouth.  Both  joy 
and  grief  flashed  through  the  soul  of  John  Alden. 
His  friend  was  dead.  The  bonds  which  had  held 
John  captive  were  forever  sundered.  Scarcely  know- 
ing what  he  did,  he  threw  his  arms  around  Priscilla, 
pressed  her  to  his  bosom,  and  devoutly  exclaimed, 
"  Those  whom  the  Lord  hath  united,  let  no  man  put 
them  asunder." 

The  wedding  day  soon  came.  The  simple  cere- 
mony was  performed  by  Elder  Brewster.  All  the  Pil- 
grims were  present. 


THE   COURTSHIP   OF   MILES  STANDISH.        299 

Lo !  when  the  service  was  ended,  a  form  appeared  on  the  threshold, 
Clad  in  armor  of  steel,  a  sombre  and  sorrowful  figure. 
Why  does  the  bridegroom  start  and  stare  at  the  strange  apparition  ? 
Wh;  does  the  bride  turn  pale  and  hide  her  face  on  his  shoulder  ? 
Is  it  a  phantom  of  air, — a  bodiless,  spectral  illusion  ?  " 

It  was  Captain  Miles.  The  report  of  his  death 
was  unfounded.  He  had  arrived  unexpectedly  in  the 
village  (for  there  were  no  mails  in  those  days),  just 
in  time  to  be  present  at  the  close  of  the  wedding. 
With  characteristic  magnanimity  he  advanced  to  the 
bridegroom,  cordially  shook  his  hand  and  wished  him 
joy. 

"  '  Forgive  me,'  he  said, 

'  I  have  been  angry  and  hurt — too  long  have  I  cherished  the  feeling ; 
1  have  been  cruel  and  hard,  but  now,  thank  God,  it  is  ended. 
Mine  is  the  same  hot  blood  that  leaped  in  the  veins  of  Hugh   Stand- 

ish: 

Sensitive,  swift  to  resent,  but  as  swift  in  atoning  for  error . 
Never  so  much  as  now  was  Miles  Standish  the  friend  of  John  Alden.' " 

In  a  similar  strain  he  addressed  the  bride.  The 
Pilgrims  were  amazed  and  overjoyed  to  see  their 
heroic  Captain  returned  to  them.  Tumultuously  they 
gathered  around  him.  Bride  and  bridegroom  were 
forgotten  in  the  greeting  which  was  extended  to  the 
Captain. 

Some  cattle  had,  by  this  time,  been  brought  to 
the  colony,  and  a  snow-white  bull  had  fallen  to  the  lot 
of  John  Alden.  The  animal  was  covered  with  a  crim- 
son cloth  upon  which  was  bound  a  cushion.  Priscilla 
mounted  this  strange  palfrey,  which  her  husband  led 


3<X)  MILES  STANDISH. 

by  a  cord  tied  to  an  iron  ring  in  its  nostrils.     Her 
friends  followed,  and  thus  she  was  led  to  her  home. 

"  Onward  the  bridal  procession  now  moved  to  their  new  habitation, 
Happy  husband  and  wife  and  friends  conversing  together. 
Pleasantly  murmured  the  brook,  as  they  crossed  the  ford  in  the  forest, 
Pleased  with  the  image,  that  passed  like  a  dream  of  love  through  its 

bosom, 

Tremulous,  floating  in  air,  o'er  the  depth  of  the  azure  abysses  , 
Down  through  the  golden  leaves  the  sun  was  pouring  his  splendors, 
Gleaming  on  purple  grapes   that,  from   branches  above  them  sus- 
pended, 
Mingled  their  odorous  breath  with  the  balm  of  the  pine  and  the  nr- 

tree, 

Wild  and  sweet  as  the  clusters  that  grew  in  the  valley  of  Eschol ; 
Like  a  picture  it  seemed  of  the  primitive  pastoral  ages, 
Fresh  with  the  youth  of  the  world,  and  recalling  Rebecca  and  Isaac, 
Old,  and  yet  ever  new,  and  simple  and  beautiful  always, 
Love  immortal  and  young  in  the  endless  succession  of  lovers, 
So,  through  the  Plymouth  woods,  passed  onward  the  bridal  proces- 
sion." 

Such  is  the  poetic  version  of  the  legend  of  the 
Courtship  of  Miles  Standish.  Nearly  every  event 
which  the  poet  has  woven  into  his  harmonious  lines, 
is  accurate  even  in  its  most  minute  details.  We  have 
given  but  a  meagre  view  of  the  beauties  of  this  Idyl, 
and  commend  the  same,  in  full,  to  the  perusal  of  the 
reader. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Trading-Posts  Menaced. 

Menace  of  the  Narragansets. — Roger  Williams. — Difficulty  on  the 
Kennebec. — Bradford's  Narrative. — Captain  Standish  as  Media- 
tor.— The  French  on  the  Penobscot. — Endeavors  to  Regain  the 
Lost  Port. — Settlements  on  the  Connecticut  River. — Mortality 
among  the  Indians. — Hostility  of  the  Pequots. — Efforts  to  Avert 
War.  —  The  Pequot  Forts.  —  Death  of  Elder  Brewster.  —  His 
Character. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1632  an  Indian  runner 
came,  in  breathless  haste,  into  the  village  of  Ply- 
mouth, with  the  intelligence  that  the  Narragansets, 
under  Canonicus,  were  marching  against  Mount  Hope, 
and  that  Massassoit  implored  the  aid  of  the  Pilgrims. 
The  chief  of  the  Wampanoags  had  fled,  with  a  party 
of  his  warriors,  to  Sowams,  in  the  present  town  of 
Warren,  R.  I.,  where  the  Pilgrims  had  a  trading-post. 
It  used  to  be  said,  in  the  French  army,  during  the 
wars  of  Napoleon  I.,  that  the  presence  of  the  Em- 
peror, on  the  field  of  an  approaching  battle,  was 
equivalent  to  a  re-enforcement  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand men.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  impression, 
with  both  colonists  and  Indians,  that  Captain  Standish, 
in  himself  alone,  was  a  resistless  force.  He  was  im- 
mediately despatched  to  Sowams,  with  three  men,  to 


302  MILES   STANDISH. 

repel  an  army  of  nobody  knew  how  many  hundreds  of 
savage  warriors. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Sowams,  the  captain  soon 
learned  that  the  Wampanoags  were  indeed  in  serious 
peril.  The  Narragansets  were  advancing  in  much 
strength.  Captain  Standish  sent  promptly  a  messen- 
ger to  Plymouth  to  forward  a  re-enforcement  to  him 
immediately,  with  powder  and  muskets.  As  there 
was  but  little  ammunition  at  that  time  in  Plymouth, 
application  was  made  to  Governor  Winthrop,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, for  a  supply.  There  were  but  few  horses 
then  in  either  of  the  colonies,  and  the  messenger 
returned  on  foot  through  the  woods  with  twenty-seven 
pounds  of  powder  upon  his  back,  which  Governor 
Winthrop  had  contributed  from  his  own  stores.  For- 
tunately the  Pequots,  taking  advantage  of  the  absence 
of  the  Narraganset  warriors,  made  an  inroad  upon 
their  territory,  which  caused  Canonicus  to  abandon 
his  march  upon  Sowams  and  to  make  a  precipitate 
retreat  to  defend  his  own  realms. 

Mr.  Roger  Williams,  whose  name  is  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  in  the  early  annals  of  New  England,  had  a 
little  before  this  time  come  over  to  Massachusetts. 
Being  displeased  with  some  things  there,  he  left 
that  colony  and  came  to  Plymouth. 

*•  Here,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  he  was 
friendly  entertained,  according  to  their  poor  ability, 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  303 

and  exercised  his  gifts  among  them,  and  after  some 
time  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  church.  And 
his  teaching  was  well  approved,  for  the  benefit  where- 
of I  still  bless  God,  and  am  thankful  to  him,  even  for 
his  sharpest  admonitions  and  reproofs.  He  this  year 
began  to  fall  into  some  strange  opinions,  and  from 
opinion  to  practice  ;  which  caused  some  controversy 
between  the  church  and  him,  and,  in  the  end,  some 
discontent  on  his  part,  by  occasion  whereof  he  left 
them  somewhat  abruptly." 

In  the  year  1634  a  serious  difficulty  occurred  upon 
the  Kennebec  River.  The  Plymouth  colony  claimed 
this  river,  and  fifteen  miles  on  each  side  of  it,  by 
special  patent.  They  thus  were  enabled  to  monopo- 
lize the  very  important  trade  with  the  Indians.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Hocking,  from  the  settlement  at 
Piscataqua,  with  a  boat  load  of  goods,  entered  the 
river,  and  ascending  above  the  trading  coast  of  the 
Plymouth  colony,  commenced  purchasing  furs  of  the 
Indians.  Mr.  John  Howland  was  in  command  of  the 
post  at  that  time.  He  forbade  the  trade  ;  but  Hock- 
ing, with  insulting  language,  bade  him  defiance. 
Howland  took  a  boat  and  some  armed  men,  and 
ascended  the  river  to  the  spot  where  the  heavily  laden 
boat  of  Hocking  was  riding  at  anchor,  and  earnestly 
expostulated  with  him  against  his  illegal  procedings. 


304  MILES   STANDISH. 

The  result  we  will  give  in  the  words  of  Governor 
Bradford  : 

"  But  all  in  vain.  He  could  get  nothing  of  hi  ID 
but  ill  words.  So  he  considered  that  now  was  the 
season  for  trade  to  come  down,  and  that  if  he  should 
suffer  him  to  take  it  from  them,  all  their  former 
charge  would  be  lost,  and  they  had  better  throw  all 
up.  So  consulting  with  his  men,  who  were  willing 
thereto,  he  resolved  to  put  him  from  his  anchors,  and 
let  him  drift  down  the  river  with  the  stream  ;  but 
commanded  the  men  that  none  should  shoot  a  shot 
upon  any  occasion,  except  he  commanded  them. 

"  He  spoke  to  him  again,  but  all  in  vain.  Then 
he  sent  a  couple  in  a  canoe  to  cut  his  cable,  the  which 
one  of  them  performs.  But  Hocking  takes  up  a  piece, 
which  he  had  laid  ready,  and,  as  the  bark  sheared 
by  the  canoe,  he  shot  him,  close  under  her  side,  in  the 
head,  so  that  he  fell  down  dead  instantly.  *  One  of 
his  fellows,  who  loved  him  well,  could  not  hold,  but 
with  a  musket  shot  Hocking,  who  fell  down  dead,  and 
never  spake  word.  This  was  the  truth  of  the  thing." 

Mr.  John  Alden,  probably  the  husband  of  Priscilla, 
was  one  of  the  men  in  the  bark  with  the  Pilgrims. 
They  returned  to  the  trading  post,  much  afflicted 
by  the  untoward  adventure.  Not  long  after  this  Mr. 
Alden,  visiting  Boston,  was  arrested  for  the  deed, 
*  T'.ie  name  of  the  man  thus  shot  was  John  Talbot 


THE  TRAPING-POSTS   MENACED.  305 

upon  the  complaint  of  a  kinsman  of  Hocking,  and 
held  to  bail.  The  Massachusetts  government  had  no 
right  of  jurisdiction  in  the  affair.  But  Governor 
Winthrop  was  quite  embarrassed  to  know  what  was 
best  to  be  done  in  a  case  thus  far  without  any  prece- 
dent. He  wrote  very  courteously  to  Governor  Wins- 
low,  then  Chief  Magistrate  of  Plymouth,  informing 
him  of  what  had  been  done,  and  enquiring  if  the  Ply- 
mouth people  would  take  action  in  a  case  which 
seemed  rather  to  belong  to  their  jurisdiction. 

"  This  we  did,  writes  Governor  Winthrop,  "  that 
notice  might  be  taken  that  we  did  disavow  the  said 
action,  which  was  much  condemned  of  all  men,  and 
which,  it  was  feared,  would  give  occasion  to  the  king 
to  send  a  general  governor  over.  And  besides,  it  had 
brought  us  all,  and  the  gospel,  under  a  common  re- 
proach, of  cutting  one  another's  throats  for  beaver." 

Governor  Bradford  was  also  greatly  troubled,  be- 
ing apprehensive  respecting  the  influence  it  might 
exert  upon  the  home  government.  He  speaks  of  the 
occurrence  as  "  one  of  the  saddest  things  that  befel 
them  since  they  came."  There  was  embarrassment 
all  around.  It  was  hardly  consistent  with  the  dignity 
of  Plymouth  to  surrender  the  case  to  the  Massachu- 
setts court.  Mr.  Alden,  who  had  been  arrested,  was 
no  actor  in  the  business.  He  simply  happened  to  be 


306  MILES   STANDISH. 

in  the  boat,  having  gone  to  the  Kennebec  with  sup- 
plies. 

Under  these  difficult  circumstances  Captain  Stan- 
dish  was  sent  to  Massachusetts  to  consult  with  the 
authorities  there  upon  the  best  course  to  be  pursued  ; 
to  make  explanations,  and  to  endeavor  to  obtain  the 
release  of  John  Alden.  Great  wisdom  was  requisite 
in  discharging  the  duties  of  this  mission,  combining 
conciliation  with  firmness.  The  Captain  was  equal  to 
the  occasion.  He  represented  that  the  Plymouth 
people  exceedingly  regretted  what  had  happened,  but 
they  felt  that  they  were  not  the  aggressors,  but  had 
acted  in  self  defense.  It  was  admitted  that  one  of 
their  servants  had  shot  Hocking,  but  that  he  had  first 
shot  Talbot,  and  would  have  killed  others  had  he  not 
himself  been  killed.  It  was  urged  that  the  Massa- 
chusetts colony  had  no  jurisdiction  in  the  case,  and 
that  it  had  done  unjustly  in  imprisoning,  and  arraign- 
ing before  its  court,  one  of  the  Plymouth  men.  The 
spirit  of  conciliation  manifested  by  both  parties  was 
admirable,  as  is  manifest  in  the  following  admission 
made  to  the  Massachusetts  •  court,  as  recorded  by 
Governor  Bradford : 

"  But  yet,  being  assured  of  their  Christian  love, 
and  persuaded  that  what  was  done  was  out  of  godly 
zeal,  that  religion  might  not  suffer,  or  sin  be  in  any 
way  covered,  especially  the  guilt  of  blood,  of  which  all 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  307 

should  be  very  conscientious,  they  did  endeavor  to 
appease  and  satisfy  them  the  best  they  could;  first 
by  informing  them  of  the  truth  in  all  circumstances 
about  the  matter  ;  and  secondly,  in  being  willing  to  re- 
fer the  case  to  any  indifferent  and  equal  hearing  and 
judgment  of  the  thing  here,  and  to  answer  it  else- 
where when  they  should  be  duly  called  thereto.  And 
further,  they  craved  Mr.  Winthrop's,  and  others  of 
the  revered  magistrates  there,  their  advice  and  direc- 
tion therein.  This  did  mollify  their  minds,  and  bring 
things  to  a  good  and  comfortable  issue  in  the  end."  * 

In  accordance  with  Governor  Winthrop's  advice, 
a  general  conference  of  prominent  men,  both  minis- 
ters and  laymen,  was  held  in  Boston.  After  seeking 
divine  guidance  in  prayer,  the  matter  was  very  thor- 
oughly discussed.  Then  the  opinion  of  each  one  was 
taken,  both  magistrates  and  ministers.  With  entire 
unanimity  they  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  "  Though 
they  all  could  have  wished  that  these  things  had 
never  been,  yet  they  could  not  but  lay  the  blame  and 
guilt  on  Hocking's  own  head.  And  thus,"  writes 
Governor  Bradford,  "  was  this  matter  ended,  and  love 
and  concord  renewed." 

In  the  struggle  between  the  Dutch  and  the  Eng- 
lish, for  the  possession  of  the  Connecticut  River  and 
its  lucrative  trade,  a  party  of  Dutch  ascended  the 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation,  p.  321. 


308  MILES   STANDISH. 

river  far  above  their  trading  house,  at  the  present  site 
of  Hartford.  Here  there  was  a  powerful  tribe  of  In- 
dians. Being,  as  usual  with  the  Indians,  at  war  with 
their  neighbors,  about  one  thousand  of  them  had  built 
a  fort,  which  they  had  strongly  palisadoed.  Some 
Dutch  traders  went  up  to  pass  the  winter  with  them, 
and  to  purchase  their  furs.  A  terrible  plague  came 
upon  the  Indians,  and  nine  hundred  and  fifty  died  in 
the  course  of  a  few  weeks.  The  living  could  not 
bury  the  dead.  Their  bodies  were  left  to  decay  in 
the  open  air.  The  Dutch,  with  difficulty,  amidst  the 
snows  of  winter,  made  their  escape  from  this  horrible 
pestilence,  and  succeeded,  when  almost  dead  with 
hunger  and  cold,  in  reaching  their  friends  in  Hartford. 

The  account  of  the  ravages  of  the  small  pox  among 
the  Indians,  around  the  English  settlements,  is  too 
revolting  to  be  transferred  to  these  pages.  The  suf- 
fering was  awful.  Though  the  English  ministered  to 
them  with  the  greatest  humanity,  yet  not  one  of  them 
was  attacked  by  the  disease.  The  judgment  of  God 
seemed  to  have  fallen  upon  the  Indians,  and  they 
were  everywhere  perishing. 

The  Plymouth  colony  had  a  very  flourishing  trad- 
ing-house on  the  Penobscot  River.  In  the  year  1635, 
a  French  frigate  appeared  in  the  harbor,  and  took 
possession  of  the  post,  in  the  name  of  the  king  of 
France.  The  captain,  Monsieur  d'  Aulney,  made  an 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  309 

inventory  of  their  goods,  took  a  bill  of  sale  at  his  own 
price,  promised  to  pay  when  convenient,  put  the  men 
on  board  their  shallop,  supplied  them  amply  with  pro- 
visions, and,  with  many  bows  and  compliments,  sent 
them  home  to  Plymouth.  Once  before  this  post  had 
been  thus  captured.  The  Plymouth  people  were 
greatly  disturbed  by  the  loss.  The  French  com- 
mander threatened  to  come  again  the  next  year,  with 
eight  ships,  and  to  seize  all  the  plantations  in  that 
section  of  the  country  which  was  claimed  by  the 
king  of  France. 

Plymouth  applied  to  Massachusetts  to  co-operate 
in  the  endeavor  to  recapture  the  post,  and  to  drive 
out  the  French.  The  Governor  of  Plymouth  and 
Captain  Standish  were  sent  to  meet  the  Massachu- 
setts commissioners.  They  urged  that  both  colonies 
were  equally  interested  in  the  dislodgement  of  the 
French,  and  that  the  expense  should  be  equally  borne. 
But  the  Massachusetts  commissioners  insisted  that 
as  the  post  belonged  to  Plymouth  alone,  that  colony 
ought  to  defray  all  the  expenses  of  the  expedition. 
Thus  the  negotiation  terminated. 

Plymouth,  thus  left  to  its  own  resources,  hired  a 
vessel,  the  Great  Hope,  of  about  three  hundred  tons, 
well  fitted  with  ordnance.  It  was  agreed  with  its 
commander  that  he  should  recapture  the  post,  and 
surrender  it,  with  all  the  trading  commodities  which 


310  MILES   STANDISH. 

were  there,  to  the  agents,  who  were  to  accompany 
him  from  Plymouth.  As  his  recompense,  he  was  to 
receive  seven  hundred  pounds  of  beaver  skins,  to  be 
delivered  as  soon  as  he  should  have  accomplished  his 
task.  If  he  failed,  he  was  to  receive  nothing. 

Thomas  Prince  was  then  Governor  of  Plymouth. 
He  sent  Captain  Miles  Standish,  in  their  own  bark, 
with  about  twenty  men,  to  aid,  should  it  be  needful, 
in  the  recovery  of  the  post,  and  to  take  the  command 
there,  should  the  post  be  regained.  Captain  Stan- 
dish's  bark  led  the  way,  and  piloted  the  Great  Hope 
into  the  harbor,  on  the  Penobscot.  He  had  in  his 
vessel  the  seven  hundred  pounds  of  beaver,  with 
which  to  pay  for  the  expedition.  But  Golding  proved 
a  totally  incompetent  man,  displaying  folly  almost 
amounting  to  insanity.  He  would  take  no  advice 
from  Captain  Standish.  He  would  not  even  allow 
Captain  Standish  to  summon  the  post  to  surrender. 
Had  this  been  done,  tne  French  would  at  once  have 
yielded,  for  they  were  entirely  unprepared  to  resist 
the  force  sent  against  them.  Neither  would  he  bring 
his  ship  near  enough  to  the  post  to  do  any  execution, 
as'without  any  summons  and  at  a  great  distance,  he 
opened  a  random  and  harmless  fire. 

Captain  Standish  earnestly  remonstrated,  assuring 
Golding  that  he  could  lay  his  ship  within  pistol  shot 
of  the  house.  As  the  stupid  creature  burned  his 


THE  TRADING-POSl  S   MENACED.  311 

powder  and  threw  away  his  shot,  the  French,  behind 
an  earth- work  out  of  all  harm's  reach,  made  themselves 
merry  over  the  futile  bombardment.  At  length  Gold- 
ing  became  convinced  of  his  folly,  and  placed  his  vessel 
upon  the  spot  which  Captain  Standish  had  pointed 
out.  Then  he  ascertained,  to  the  excessive  chagrin 
of  Captain  Standish  and  his  party,  that  he  had 
expended  all  his  ammunition.  The  wretch  then  de- 
signed to  seize  upon  the  bark  and  the  beaver  skins. 
But  Captain  Standish,  learning  of  this,  spread  his 
sails  and  returned  in  safety  to  Plymouth. 

The  Governor  and  his  assistants  in  Massachu- 
setts Bay,  hearing  of  this  utter  failure  of  the  expedi- 
tion, became  alarmed  in  reference  to  their  own  safety. 
They  wrote  very  earnestly  to  Plymouth,  saying : 

"  We  desire  that  you  would,  with  all  convenient 
speed,  send  some  man  of  trust,  furnished  with  in- 
structions from  yourselves,  to  make  such  agreement 
with  us  about  this  business,  as  may  be  useful  for  you 
and  equal  for  us." 

Captain  Standish,  with  Mr.  Prince,  was  immedi- 
ately sent  to  Massachusetts  with  full  powers  to  act  in 
accordance  with  instructions  given  them.  The  ne- 
gotiations, however,  failed ;  as  the  Massachusetts 
colonists  were  still  not  prepared  to  pay  their  share  of 
the  expense.  The  French  remained  undisturbed  on 
the  Penobscot.  They  carried  on  a  vigorous  trade 


312  MILES  STANDISII. 

with   the    Indians,   supplying  them   abundantly  with 
muskets  and  ammunition. 

The  terrible  mortality,  which  had  swept  away  so 
many  thousand  Indians  from  the  Connecticut,  turned 
the  attention  of  the  Massachusetts  colonists  again  to 
that  beautiful  and  fertile  region.  The  Dutch  claimed 
the  country.  The  Plymouth  colony  claimed  it.  And 
now  the  Massachusetts  colonists  were  putting  in  their 
claim.  Jonathan  Brewster,  the  oldest  son  of  Elder 
Brewster,  was  at  the  head  of  the  little  Plymouth 
settlement  at  Windsor.  The  following  extracts  from 
one  of  his  letters  addressed  to  the  authorities  at 
Plymouth,  give  a  very  clear  idea  of  the  state  of  the 
question  at  that  time.  The  letter  is  dated  Matianuck 
(Windsor),  July  6,  1835. 

"  The  Massachusetts  men  are  coming  almost 
daily,  some  by  water  and  some  by  land,  who  are  not 
yet  determined  where  to  settle,  though  some  have  a 
great  mind  to  the  place  we  are  upon,  and  which  was 
last  bought.  Many  of  them  look  for  that  which  this 
river  will  not  afford,  except  it  be  at  this  place,  to  be  a 
great  town  and  have  commodious  dwellings  for  many 
together.  I  shall  do  what  I  can  to  withstand  them. 
I  hope  that  they  will  hear  reason  ;  as  that  we  were 
here  first,  and  entered  with  much  difficulty  and  dan- 
ger, both  in  regard  of  the  Dutch  and  Indians,  and 
bought  the  land  and  have  since  held  here  a  chargea- 


THE  TRADING-POSTS   MENACED. 


313 


ble  possession,  and  kept  the  Dutch  from  further 
encroaching,  who  would  else,  long  ere  this,  have 
possessed  all,  and  kept  out  all  others. 

"  It  was  your  will  that  we  should  use  their  persons 
and  messengers  kindly ;  and  so  we  have  done,  and 
do  daily  to  your  great  charge.  For  the  first  company 
had  well  nigh  starved  had  it  not  been  for  this  house  ; 
I  being  forced  to  supply  twelve  men  for  nine  days 
together.  And  those  who  came  last  I  helped  the 
best  we  could,  helping  them  both  with  canoes  and 
guides.  They  got  me  to  go  with  them  to  the  Dutch, 
to  see  if  I  could  procure  some  of  them  to  have 
quiet  settling  near  them ;  but  they  did  peremptorily 
withstand  them.  Also  I  gave  their  goods  house- 
room,  according  to  their  earnest  request.  What 
trouble  and  charge  I  shall  be  further  at  I  know  not ; 
for  they  are  coming  daily,  and  I  expect  those  back 
again  from  below,  whither  they  are  gone  to  view  the 
country.  All  which  trouble  and  charge  we  undergo 
for  their  occasion,  may  give  us  just  cause,  in  the 
judgment  of  all  wise  and  understanding  men,  to  hold 
and  keep  that  we  are  settled  upon."  * 

The  question  was  finally  settled  by  treaty,  and  the 
Massachusetts  colonists  soon  planted  settlements  at 
Wethersfield,  Hartford,  and  some  other  places  on  the 
river.  There  were  three  dominant  nations,  if  we  may 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation,  p.  339. 
14 


314  MILES  STANDISH. 

so  call  them,  at  this  time,  in  southern  New  England. 
The  chiefs  of  these  nations  exercised  a  sort  of  feudal 
domination  over  many  petty  tribes.  The  Wampa- 
noags,  under  Massasoit,  held  the  present  region  of 
Massachusetts  generally.  The  Narragansets,  under 
Canonicus,  occupied  Rhode  Island.  The  Pequots, 
under  Sassacus,  extended  their  dominion  over  nearly 
the  whole  of  Connecticut.  These  tribes,  powerful 
and  jealous,  were  almost  invariably  engaged  in  hostil- 
ities. Roger  Williams  estimated  the  number  of 
Pequots  at  thirty  thousand  souls.  They  could  bring 
four  thousand  warriors  into  the  field.  The  seat  of 
their  chief  was  at  Groton,  near  New  London.  Twenty- 
six  smaller  tribes  were  held  in  subjection  by  him. 
The  Pequots  were  deemed  the  most  fierce  and  cruel 
race  of  all  the  tribes  who  dwelt  in  New  England. 

The  Narragansets  were  a  nobler  race  of  men. 
They  somewhat  surpassed  the  Pequots  in  numbers, 
and  manifested  traits  of  character  far  more  generous 
and  magnanimous.  They  could  bring  five  thousand 
warriors  into  the  field.  The  seat  of  Canonicus,  their 
.chief,  was  not  far  from  the  present  town  of  Newport. 

The  Wampanoags  had  suffered  terribly  from  the 
pestilence  which  ravaged  New  England  just  before 
the  arrival  of  the  Pilgrims.  The  number  of  their 
warriors  had  been  reduced  from  over  three  thousand 
to  about  five  hundred.  Early  in  the  year  1637  tne 


THE  TRADING-POSTS    MENACED.  315 

Pequots  began  to  manifest  decided  hostility  against 
the  English.  There  was  a  small  settlement  at  Say- 
brook,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  river.  As 
the  colonists  were  at  work  in  the  fields,  unsuspicious 
of  danger,  a  band  of  Indians  fell  upon  them  and  killed 
several  men  and  women.  The  Indians  retired  with 
loud  boastings  and  threats.  Soon  after  they  came  in 
larger  numbers  and  attacked  a  fort.  Though  they 
were  repelled,  their  attack  was  so  bold  and  spirited  as 
to  astonish  the  English  and  cause  them  great  alarm. 

The  Peqots  endeavored  to  make  peace  with  the 
Narragansets,  that  they  might  enter  into  an  alliance 
with  them  against  the  English.  Not  a  little  ability 
was  displayed  in  the  plan  of  operations  which  they 
suggested.  "  We  have  no  occasion  to  fear,"  they  said, 
"  the  strength  of  the  English.  We  need  not  come  to 
open  battle  with  them.  We  can  set  fire  to  their 
houses,  shoot  their  cattle,  lie  in  ambush  for  them 
whenever  they  go  abroad.  Thus  we  can  utterly  de- 
stroy them  without  any  danger  to  ourselves.  The 
English  will  be  either  starved  to  death,  or  will  be 
compelled  to  leave  the  country." 

For  a  time  the  Narragansets  listened  to  these  re- 
presentations, being  quite  inclined  to  accept  them. 
The  anxiety  of  the  English  was  very  great.  They 
desired  only  peace,  with  the  prosperity  it  would  bring. 
War  and  its  ruin  they  greatly  deplored. 


3l6  MILES   STANDISH. 

The  Pilgrims  did  everything  which  could  be  done 
to  avoid  the  Pequot  war;  but  it  \^s  forced  upon 
them.  Sassacus  was  a  very  shrewd  man,  and  laid- 
very  broad  plans  for  his  military  operations.  He  could 
summon  thousands  of  warriors  who  would  fall  furi- 
ously upon  all  the  scattered  settlements,  lay  them  in 
ashes,  and  massacre  the  inhabitants. 

In  the  year  1634,  just  after  a  very  flourishing  trad- 
ing post  had  been  established  on  the  Connecticut 
river  at  Windsor,  two  English  traders,  Captains  Nor- 
ton and  Stone,  ascended  the  river  in  a  boat,  laden 
with  valuables  for  the  Indian  trade,  which  they  in- 
tended to  exchange  for  furs.  These  traders  had  eight 
white  boatmen  in  their  employ.  The  Indians  were 
peaceful,  and  they  had  no  apprehensions  of  danger. 
One  night,  as  the  boat  was  moored  by  the  side  of  the 
stream,  a  band  of  Indians,  with  hideous  yells,  rushed 
from  an  ambush  upon  them,  put  every  man  to  death 
and,  having  plundered  the  boat  of  all  its  contents, 
sunk  it  in  the  stream. 

These  traders  were  from  Massachusetts.  This 
powerful  colony  demanded  of  Sassacus  that  the  mur- 
derers should  be  surrendered  to  them,  and  that  pay- 
ment should  be  made  for  the  plundered  goods.  The 
bloody  deed  had  been  performed  at  midnight  in  the 
glooms  of  the  forest.  There  was  no  survivor  to  tell 
the  story.  Sassacus  fabricated  one,  very  ingeniously, 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  317 

to  palm  off  upon  the  English.  No  one  could  deny 
the  villany  of  Captain  Hunt,  who,  some  years  before, 
had  kidnapped  several  Indians  and  sold  them  into 
slavery.  Sassacus  declared  that  Captains  Norton  and 
Stone,  without  any  provocation,  had  seized  two  Indi- 
ans, bound  them  hand  and  foot  in  their  boat,  and  were 
about  to  carry  them  off,  no  one  knew  where. 

The  friends  of  these  captives  crept  cautiously 
along  the  shore  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  rescue 
them.  The  white  men  were  all  thoroughly  armed 
with  swords  and  muskets,  rendering  any  attempt  to 
rescue  the  captives  extremely  perilous.  The  right 
of  self-defense  rendered  it  necessary,  in  the  conflict 
which  would  ensue,  to  kill.  In  the  darkness  of  the 
night  they  rushed  upon  the  boat  which  was  drawn  up 
to  the  shore,  killed  the  white  men  and  released  the 
captives.  He  also  stated  that  all  the  Indians  engaged 
in  the  affray,  excepting  two,  had  since  died  of  the 
small-pox. 

This  plausible  story  could  not  be  disproved.  The 
magistrates  of  Massachusetts,  high-minded  and  hon- 
orable men,  wished  to  treat  the  Indians  not  merely 
with  justice,  but  with  humanity.  It  could  not  be 
denied  that,  admitting  the  facts  to  be  as  stated  by 
Sassacus,  the  Indians  had  performed  a  heroic  act — 
one  for  which  they  deserved  praise  rather  than  cen- 
sure. The  Governor  of  Massachusetts  therefore  ac- 


318  MILES  STANDISH. 

cepted  this  explanation,  and  resumed  his  friendly  alli- 
ance with  the  treacherous  Pequots. 

Roger  Williams,  who  had  taken  up  his  residence. 
in  Rhode  Island,  had  secured  the  confidence  of  the 
Indians  to  a  wonderful  degree.  He  exposed  himself, 
apparently,  to  the  greatest  perils,  without  any  sense 
of  danger.  He  had  acquired  wonderful  facility  in 
speaking  the  language  of  the  Narragansets,  in  the 
midst  of  whom  he  dwelt.  There  were  still  so  many 
indications  that  the  Pequots  were  plotting  hostilities, 
that  the  Governor  and  Council  of  Massachusetts  wrote 
to  Mr.  Williams,  urging  him  to  go  to  the  seat  of  Can- 
onicus,  and  dissuade  him  from  entering  into  any  coali- 
tion with  the  Pequots,  should  such  be  in  process  of 
formation.  This  truly  good  man  immediately  left  his 
home  and  embarked  alone,  in  a  canoe,  to  skirt  the 
coast  of  Narraganset  Bay,  upon  his  errand  of  mercy. 
It  is  probable  that  he  made  this  journey  in  a  birch 
canoe,  paddling  his  way  over  the  smooth  waters  of  the 
sheltered  bays.  He  encountered  many  hardships, 
and  many  great  perils,  as  occasional  storms  arose, 
dashing  the  surf  upon  the  shore.  After  several  days 
of  such  lonely  voyaging,  he  reached  the  royal  res- 
idence of  Canonicus.  The  barbarian  chieftain  was 
at  home,  and  it  so  happened  that  when  Mr.  Wil- 
liams arrived  at  his  wigwam,  he  found  several  Pe- 
quot  warriors  there,  who  had  come  on  an  embas- 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  319 

sage  from  Sassacus  to  engage  the  Narragansets  in 
the  war. 

For  three  days  this  bold  man  remained  alone 
among  these  savages,  endeavoring,  in  every  way,  to 
thwart  the  endeavors  of  the  Pequot  warriors.  These 
agents  of  Sassacus  were  enraged  at  Mr.  Williams'  in- 
fluence in  circumventing  their  plans.  They  plotted 
his  massacre,  and  every  night  Mr.  Williams  had  occa- 
sion to  fear  that  he  would  not  behold  the  light  of 
another  morning.  But  Canonicus,  unlettered  savage 
as  he  was,  had  sufficient  intelligence  to  appreciate 
the  fearlessness  and  true  grandeur  of  character  of  Mr. 
Williams.  He  dismissed  the  discomfited  Pequots, 
refusing  to  enter  into  any  alliance  with  them.  He 
renewed  his  treaty  of  friendship  with  the  English,  and 
engaged  to  send  a  large  party  of  his  warriors  to  co- 
operate with  them  in  repelling  the  threatened  assault 
of  the  Pequots. 

The  benefits  thus  conferred  upon  the  English  by 
the  efforts  of  Mr.  Roger  Williams  were  incalculable. 
Many  distant  tribes,  who  were  on  the  eve  of  joining 
Sassacus,  alarmed  by  the  defection  of  the  Narragan- 
sets, also  withdrew ;  and  thus  the  Pequots  were  com- 
pelled to  enter  upon  the  war  with  forces  considerably 
weaker  than  they  had  originally  intended.  Still  they 
were  foes  greatly  to  be  dreaded.  The  English  settle- 
ments were  now  widely  scattered,  and  each  was  in 


320  MILES   STANDISH. 

itself  feeble.  The  Pequots  could  marshal  four  thou- 
sand of  as  fierce  warriors  as  earth  has  ever  see  . 
A  small  bag  of  pounded  corn  would  furnish  each  war- 
rior with  food  for  many  days.  They  could  traverse 
the  forest  trails  with  almost  the  velocity  of  the  wind. 
Rushing  upon  some  unprotected  hamlet  ar  midnight, 
with  torch  and  tomahawk,  they  could,  in  one  awful 
hour,  leave  behind  them  but  smouldering  ashes  and 
gory  corpses.  Disappearing,  like  wolves,  in  the  im- 
penetrable forest,  they  could  again  rush  upon  any 
lonely  farm-house,  leagues  away,  and  thus,  with  but 
little  danger  to  themselves,  spread  ruin  far  and  wide. 
No  man  in  the  scattered  settlements  could  fall  asleep 
at  night  without  the  fear  that  the  hideous  war-whoop 
of  the  Indian  would  rouse  him  and  his  family  to  a 
cruel  death  before  morning. 

The  Pequots  were  continually  perpetrating  new 
acts  of  violence,  while  the  English,  with  great  for- 
bearance, were  doing  everything  in  their  power  to 
avert  the  open  breaking  out  of  hostilities.  To  add  to 
the  embarrassment  of  the  English  they  received  con- 
clusive evidence  that  Captains  Norton  and  Stone, 
with  their  boats'  crew,  were  wantonly  murdered  by 
the  Indians,  and  that  the  statement  of  extenuating 
circumstances,  made  by  Sassacus,  was  an  entire  fab- 
rication. The  forbearance  of  the  English  only  stimu- 
lated the  insolence  of  the  Pequots. 


THE  TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  321 

In  July  1635,  John  Oldham  ventured  on  a  trading 
expedition  to  the  Pequot  country.  He  went  as  an 
agent  of  the  Massachusetts  colony,  one  object  being 
to  ascertain  the  disposition  of  the  savages.  The  In- 
dians captured  his  boat,  killed  Captain  Oldham,  hor- 
ribly mutilating  his  body,  and  the  rest  of  the  crew,  two 
or  three  in  number,  were  carried  off  as  captives.  The 
time  for  attempts  at  conciliation  was  at  an  end.  It 
was  resolved  to  prosecute  the  war  with  all  vigor,  and 
so  to  punish  the  Pequots  as  to  give  them  a  new  idea 
of  the  power  of  the  English,  and  to  present  a  warning 
to  all  the  other  savages  against  the  repetition  of  such 
outrages. 

Plymouth  colony  furnished  fifty  soldiers,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Miles  Standish.  Massachusetts 
raised  two  hundred  men.  The  settlements  on  the 
Connecticut  furnished  ninety  men.  The  Mohegans 
and  Narragansets  sent  to  the  English  camp  of  ren- 
dezvous about  two  hundred  warriors,  promising  many 
more.  It  was  decided  to  strike  the  Pequots  a  sudden 
and  heavy  blow.  We  cannot  here  enter  into  the  de- 
tails of  the  fierce  and  decisive  war  which  ensued. 

These  military  bands  rendezvoused  on  the  shores 
of  Narraganset  bay,  and  commenced  a  rapid  march 
through  the  forest.  The  Narragansets  were  exceed- 
ingly jubilant  in  the  prospect  of  inflicting  vengeance 
upon  a  foe  who  had  often  compelled  them  to  bite  the 
14* 


322  MILES   STANDISH. 

dust.  As  they  hurried  along  through  the  narrow  trails 
towards  the  Pequot  territory,  volunteer  Narragansets 
joined  them  until  five  hundred  feathered  warriors 
were  in  their  train. 

The  Indian  guides  led  them  to  a  strong  fort,  on 
the  banks  of  the  river  Mystic.  A  large  number  of 
Pequot  warriors  were  assembled  here,  quite  unappre- 
hensive of  the  attack  which  was  about  to  fall  terribly 
upon  them.  Silently,  in  the  night,  the  English  and 
the  Indians  surrounded  them,  that  there  might  be  no 
escape. 

"  And  so,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  assaulted 
them  with  great  courage,  shooting  amongst  them,  and 
entering  the  fort  with  all  speed.  Those  that  first 
entered  found  sharp  resistance  from  the  enemy,  who 
both  shot  at  and  grappled  with  them.  Others  ran 
into  their  houses,  and  brought  out  fire  and  set  them 
on  fire,  which  soon  took  in  their  mats,  and,  standing 
close  together,  with  the  wind,  all  was  quickly  in  a 
flame.  Thereby  more  were  burned  to  death  than 
were  otherwise  slain.  It  burned  their  bow-strings, 
and  rendered  them  unserviceable.  Those  that  es- 
caped the  fire  were  slain  with  the  sword.  Some  were 
hewed  to  pieces,  others  were  run  through  with  their 
rapiers,  so  that  1hey  were  quickly  dispatched,  and 
very  few  escaped.  It  was  conceived  that  they  thus 
destroyed  about  four  hundred  at  this  time. 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  323 

"  It  was  a  fearful  sight  to  see  them  thus  frying  in 
the  fire,  the  streams  of  blood  quenching  the  same, 
and  horrible  was  the  scent  thereof.  But  the  victory 
seamed  a  sweet  sacrifice,  and  they  gave  the  praise 
thereof  to  God,  who  had  wrought  so  wonderfully  for 
them,  thus  to  give  them  so  speedy  a  victory  over  so 
proud  and  insulting  an  enemy."  * 

"  The  Narraganset  Indians  all  this  while  stood  round 
about,  but  aloof  from  all  danger,  and  left  the  whole 
execution  to  the  English,  except  it  were  the  stopping 
of  any  that  broke  away ;  insulting  over  their  enemies 
in  this  their  ruin  and  misery,  when  they  were  writhing 
in  the  flames.  After  this  service  was  thus  happily  ac- 
complished, they  marched  to  the  water  side,  where 
they  met  with  some  of  their  vessels,  by  which  they 
had  refreshing  with  victuals  and  other  necessaries." 

The  war  was  continued  with  vigor,  and  the  Pequot 
warriors  became  nearly  exterminated.  Sassacus  fled 
to  the  Mohawks,  in  New  York.  They  cut  off  his 
head.  Thus  the  war  ended.  The  Pequots  were  no 
longer  to  be  feared.  Driven  from  their  homes,  they 
took  refuge,  in  their  dispersion,  in  different  tribes, 
and  this  formidable  barbaric  nation  became  extinct. 

War  is  always  demoralizing.  Many,  rioting  in  its 
scenes  o:  carnage  and  of  crime,  lose  all  sense  of  hu- 
manity, and  become  desperadoes.  After  the  close  of 

*  Bradford's  Plymouth  Plantation,  p.  363. 


324  MILES  STANDISH. 

the  Pequot  war,  a  young  fellow,  lusty  and  desperate, 
by  the  name  of  Arthur  Peach,  who  had  done  valiant 
service  in  cutting  down  the  Indians,  felt  a  strong  dis- 
inclination to  return  to  the  monotony  of  peaceful  life. 
He  became  thoroughly  dissolute,  a  wild  adventurer, 
ripe  for  any  crime.  To  escape  the  consequences  of 
some  of  his  misdeeds,  he  undertook,  with  three  boon 
companions,  as  bad  as  himself,  to  escape  to  the  Dutch 
colony  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson.  As  they  were 
travelling  through  the  woods  they  stopped  to  rest, 
and,  kindling1  a  fire,  sat  down  to  smoke  their  pipes. 
An  Indian  came  along,  who  had  a  quantity  of  wam- 
pum, which  had  become  valuable  as  currency,  recog- 
nized by  all  the  tribes.  They  invited  him  to  sit  down 
and  smoke  with  them.  As  they  were  thus  smoking  to- 
gether, Peach  said  to  his  companions  that  he  meant 
to  kill  the  Indian,  "  for  the  rascal,"  said  he,  "  has  un- 
doubtedly killed  many  white  men."  The  Indian,  who 
did  not  understand  English,  was  unsuspicious  of  dan- 
ger. Peach,  watching  his  opportunity,  thrust  his 
sword  through  his  body  once  or  twice,  and  taking 
from  him  his  wampum  and  some  other  valuables,  he 
and  his  companions  hurried  on  their  way,  leaving  him 
as  they  supposed,  dead. 

Though  mortally  wounded,  the  Indian  so  far  re- 
vived as  to  reach  some  of  his  friends,  when,  having 
communicated  to  them  the  facts  of  the  murder,  he 


THE  TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  325 

died.  The  men  were  all  arrested.  The  proof  was  so 
positive  that  they  made  no  denial  of  their  guilt.  They 
were  all  condemned,  and  three  were  executed,  one 
having  made  his  escape.  Francis  Baylies,  comment- 
ing upon  this  occurrence,  writes  : 

"  This  execution  is  an  undeniable  proof  of  that 
stern  sense  of  duty  which  was  cherished  by  the  Pil- 
grims. To  put  three  Englishmen  to  death  for  the 
murder  of  one  Indian,  without  compulsion,  or  with- 
out any  apprehension  of  consequences,  for  it  does  not 
appear  that  any  application  was  made  on  the  part  of 
the  Indians,  for  the  punishment  of  the  murderers, 
and  they  might  have  been  pacified  by  the  death  of 
one,  and  probably  even  without  that,  denotes  a  de- 
gree of  moral  culture  unknown  in  new  settlements. 
It  stands  in  our  annals  without  a  parallel  instance. 
The  truth  of  the  fact  is  avouched  by  all  our  early  his- 
torians, and  it  stands  an  eternal  and  imperishable 
monument  of  stern,  unsparing,  inflexible  justice. 
And,  in  all  probability  it  was  not  without  its  earthly 
reward,  for  the  Indians,  convinced  of  the  justice  of 
the  English,  abstained  from  all  attempts  to  avenge 
their  wrongs,  by  their  own  acts,  for  many  years."  * 

The  Plymouth  colonists  were  still  much  embar- 
rassed in  consequence  of  their  relations  with  their 
partners  in  England,  to  whom  they  were  still  consid- 

*  Memoir  of  Plymouth  Colony,  by  Francis  Baylies,  p.  249. 


326  MILES   STANDISH. 

erably  indebted.  The  agent  of  the  company  there 
wrote  that  he  could  not  make  up  his  accounts,  unless 
some  one  from  the  colony  should  come  over  to  Eng- 
land to  aid  him ;  and  he  urged  that  Mr.  Winslow 
should  be  sent.  But  Mr.  Winslow  was  afraid  to  go. 
Neither  was  he  willing  that  any  of  his  partners  should 
go.  The  angry  tone  of  letters  from  England  led  him 
to  apprehend  serious  danger.  "  For  he  was  per- 
suaded," writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  that  if  any  of 
them  went  they  would  be  arrested,  and  an  action  of 
such  a  sum  laid  upon  them  as  they  should  not  procure 
bail,  but  must  lie  in  prison;  and  then  they  would 
bring  them  to  what  they  list." 

Still  it  was  very  important  that  some  one  should 
go.  Captain  Standish  was  applied  to.  He  seems  to 
have  had  as  little  fear  of  an  English  prison  as  of  the 
tomahawks  and  arrows  of  the  Indians.  Without  any 
hesitancy  he  was  ready  to  embark  in  the  perilous  en- 
terprise. But  upon  mature  deliberation  his  more 
cautious  friends  decided  it  not  to  be  prudent  to  ex- 
pose him  to  such  peril.  But  the  spirit  of  justice, 
which  inspired  them  in  all  their  transactions,  is  again 
conspicuous.  They  offered  to  submit  the  matter  to 
any  gentlemen  and  merchants  of  the  Massachusetts 
colony,  whom  the  company  in  England  themselves 
might  choose.  Before  these  commissioners  both  sides 
snould  have  a  hearing.  "  We  will  be  bound,"  they 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  327 

added,  "  to  stand  by  their  decision,  and  make  good 
their  award,  though  it  should  cost  us  all  we  have  in 
the  world." 

The  company  in  England  declined  this  magnani- 
mous offer.  In  the  year  1645  Elder  Brewster  died,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years.  He  was  in 
Duxbury  the  next  neighbor  and  the  ever  warm  friend 
of  Miles  Standish.  Among  the  remarkable  men  who 
composed  the  Plymouth  colony,  he  was  one  of  the 
most  remarkable.  By  birth,  education  and  wealth  he 
occupied  a  high  position  in  English  society.  In  his 
earlier  days  he  was  the  companion  of  ministers  of 
state.  He  was  familiar  with  the  magnificence  of 
courts,  having  represented  his  sovereign  in  foreign 
embassage.  His  ample  fortune  had  accustomed  him 
to  the  refinements  and  elegances  of  life.  He  might 
doubtless  have  spent  his  days  in  ease,  honor  and  opu- 
lence. But,  true  to  his  religious  convictions,  all  these 
he  cast  aside  to  share  the  lot  of  the  humble  and  per- 
secuted Puritans.  He  deemed  conformity  to  the  mode 
of  worship  adopted  by  the  Parliament  as  sinful.  And 
"  he  chose  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people 
of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  sea- 
son." In  the  records  of  the  first  church  in  Plymouth 
we  find  a  very  noble  tribute  to  his  memory,  probably 
written  by  Secretary  Morton.  Speaking  of  his  era- 


328  MILES   STANDISH. 

bassage,  in  his  early  manhood,  to  the  Low  Countries, 
with  Mr.  Davison,  Mr.  Morton  writes, 

"  He  received  possession  of  the  cautionary  towns ; 
and,  in  token  thereof,  the  keys  of  Flushing  being  de- 
livered to  him  in  her  majesty's  name,  he  kept  them 
for  some  time,  and  committed  them  to  his  servant, 
who  kept  them  under  his  pillow  on  which  he  slept, 
the  first  night,  and,  on  his  return  the  States  honored 
him  with  a  gold  chain,  which  his  master  committed  to 
him,  and  commanded  him  to  wear  it  when  they  ar- 
rived in  England,  as  they  rode  through  the  country 
until  they  came  to  the  court. 

"  Afterwards  he  went  and  lived  in  the  country,  in 
good  esteem  among  his  friends  and  the  good  gen- 
tlemen of  those  parts,  especially  the  godly  and  re- 
ligious. He  did  much  good  in  the  country  where  he 
lived,  in  promoting  and  furthering  religion,  not  only 
by  his  practice  and  example,  and  encouraging  others, 
but  by  procuring  good  preachers  for  the  places  there- 
abouts, and  drawing  on  others  to  assist  and  help  for- 
ward in  such  a  work,  he  himself  commonly  deepest  in 
the  charge  and  often  above  his  abilities.  In  this  state 
he  continued  many  years,  doing  the  best  good  he 
could,  and  walking  according  to  the  light  he  saw,  un- 
til the  Lord  revealed  further  unto  him. 

"  And,  in  the  end,  by  the  tyranny  of  the  bishops 
against  godly  preachers  and  people,  in  silencing  the 


THE   TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  329 

one,  and  persecuting  the  other,  he,  with  many  more 
of  those  times,  began  to  look  further  into  particulars, 
and  to  see  into  the  unlawfulness  of  their  callings,  and 
the  burden  of  many  anti-Christian  corruptions,  which 
both  he  and  they  endeavored  to  cast  off,  as  they  also 
did. 

"  After  they  were  joined  into  communion  he  was 
a  special  stay  and  help  to  them.  They  ordinarily  met 
at  his  house  on  the  Lord's  day,  which  was  within  the 
manor  of  a  bishop.  With  great  love  he  entertained 
them  when  they  came,  making  provision  for  them  to 
his  great  charge,  and  continued  so  to  do  while  they 
should  remain  in  England.  And  when  they  were  to 
remove  out  of  the  country,  he  was  the  first  in  all  ad- 
ventures. He  was  the  chief  of  those  who  were  taken 
at  Boston,  in  Lincolnshire,  and  suffered  the  greatest 
loss,  and  one  of  the  seven  that  were  kept  longest  in 
prison,  and  after  bound  over  to  the  assizes. 

"  After  he  came  to  Holland  he  suffered  much 
hardship,  after  he  had  spent  the  most  of  his  means, 
having  a  great  charge  and  many  children.  And  in 
regard  to  his  former  breeding  and  course,  not  so  fit 
for  many  employments  as  others  were,  especially  such 
as  were  toilsome  and  laborious.  Yea,  he  ever  bore 
his  condition  with  much  cheerfulness  and  content. 
Towards  the  latter  part  of  those  twelve  years,  spent 
in  Holland,  his  outward  condition  was  mended,  and  he 


330  MILES  STANDISH. 

lived  well  and  plentiful ;  for  he  fell  into  a  way,  by 
reason  he  had  the  Latin  tongue,  to  teach  many  stu- 
dents, who  had  a  desire  to  learn  the  English  tongue. 
By  his  method  they  quickly  attained  it,  with  great 
facility,  for  he  drew  rules  to  learn  it  by  after  the  Latin 
manner.  And  many  gentlemen,  both  Danes  and 
Germans,  resorted  to  him,  as  they  had  time,  from 
their  other  studies,  some  of  them  being  great  men's 
sons. 

"  But  now,  removing  into  this  country,  all  these 
things  were  laid  aside  again,  and  a  new  course  of 
living  must  be  framed  unto ;  in  which  he  was  in  no 
way  unwilling  to  take  his  part,  and  to  bear  his  bur- 
den with  the  rest,  living  many  times  without  bread  or 
corn,  many  months  together ;  having  many  times 
nothing  but  fish,  and  often  wanting  that  also ;  and 
drunk  nothing  but  water  for  many  years  together, 
until  five  or  six  years  of  his  death.  And  yet  he  lived, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  in  health  until  very  old  age." 

Elder  Brewster  was  an  accomplished  gentleman, 
a  genial  friend,  an  eloquent  preacher,  and  a  fervent 
Christian.  History  has  transmitted  to  us  the  record 
of  but  few  characters  so  well  balanced  in  all  energetic, 
harmonious,  and  lovely  traits.  He  died  as  he  had 
lived,  tranquilly,  peacefully,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all 
his  faculties.  His  sickness  was  short,  confining  him 
to  his  bed  but  one  day.  He  could  converse  with  his 


THE  TRADING-POSTS   MENACED.  331 

friends  until  within  a  few  hours  of  his  last  breath. 
About  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  April  i8th,  1644, 
he  fell  asleep. 

"  Asleep  in  Jesus,  blessed  sleep  ! 
From  which  none  ever  wake  to  weep." 


CHAPTER  XV. 
Removal  to  Duxbury. 

Friendship  Between  Captain  Standish  and  Mr.  Brewstei. — Character 
of  Mr.  Brewster. — His  Death  and  Burial. — Mode  of  Worship. — 
Captain's  Hill. — Difficulty  with  the  Narragansets. — Firmness  and 
Conciliation. — Terms  of  Peace. — Plans  for  Removal  from  Ply- 
mouth.— Captain  Standish's  Home  in  Duxbury. — Present  Aspect 
of  the  Region. 

It  is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  Captain  Miles  Stand- 
ish, the  puritan  soldier,  that  his  life-long  friend  was 
William  Brewster,  the  puritan  divine.  Their  farms 
in  Duxbury  were  side  by  side.  The  scene  upon  which 
this  noble  Christian  man  looked,  in  the  evening  of  his 
eventful  life,  must  have  been  one  full  of  peaceful 
beauty,  as  he  stood,  staff  in  hand,  upon  the  threshold  of 
his  lowly,  yet  comfortable  cottage.  His  peaceful  home 
was  situated  about  three  miles  across  the  bay  from  the 
village  of  Plymouth.  By  land  it  was  a  roundabout 
route  of  nearly  eight  miles.  His  farm  was  on  a  pic- 
turesque peninsula  shooting  out  southerly  into  the 
placid  waters  of  Plymouth  Bay.  In  his  life  of  four- 
score years  and  four,  he  had  witnessed  the  long  reigns 
of  three  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  English  sove- 
reigns. 

The  days  of  his  early  manhood  were  passed  through 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  333 

scenes  of  persecution  and  suffering,  whose  vicissitudes 
were  painful  and  agitating  in  the  extreme.  His  men- 
tal energies  had  been  strengthened  by  the  discipline 
of  adversity  and  severe  afflictions.  As  an  exile,  he 
had  encountered  poverty  and  had  been  exposed  to 
the  most  severe  deprivations  and  toils.  He  had 
landed,  with  a  feeble  band,  in  this  New  World  when 
it  was  but  a  howling  wilderness,  and  where  the  ut- 
most courage  and  prudence  were  requisite,  to  save 
the  little  colony  from  utter  extinction  by  a  savage 
foe. 

He  had  lived  to  see  the  colony  securely  estab- 
lished, to  see  the  Indians  to  a  very  great  degree  con- 
ciliated, and  not  a  few  of  them  brought  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Christian  example  and  instruction.  From 
one  little  settlement,  of  seven  log  huts,  he  had  seer 
others  springing  up  all  around,  till  eight  flourishing 
towns  were  established,  with  eight  churches,  under 
eight  pastors.  He  had  seen  the  colony  reduced  to 
but  fifty  souls,  men,  women  and  children.  And,  ere 
he  died,  the  census  reported  a  population  of  eight 
thousand,  with  a  well-defined  government,  a  free  con- 
stitution and  established  laws.  Infant  colonies  were 
rising  in  various  points  to  a  vigorous  manhood,  and 
were  uniting  in  a  confederacy,  already  sufficiently 
powerful  to  repel  all  native  foes,  and  which  gave 
promise  of  being  able,  ere  long,  to  maintain  inde- 


334  MILES   STANDISH. 

pendence  against  the  machinations  of  all  foreign  ene- 
mies. 

A  system  of  common  schools  was  established, 
which  even  then  was  the  glory  of  New  England. 
Harvard  University,  modelled  after  the  renowned  uni- 
versity of  Cambridge  in  England,  was  already  begin- 
ning to  train  young  men  for  the  highest  offices  in  the 
church  and  the  state.  Thus  freedom,  education  and 
religion  were  walking  hand  in  hand.  In  the  retro- 
spect of  his  path  through  life,  this  thoughtful,  devout 
and  hopeful  man  could  contemplate  the  stern  con- 
flicts, the  cruel  errors,  and  the  heroic  deeds  of  one  of 
the  most  important  eras  in  the  world's  history.  Though 
he  had  sown  in  tears,  he  could  hopefully  look  forward 
to  the  time  when  his  children,  and  his  children's 
children  should  reap  in  joy.  In  speaking  of  the  death 
of  this  eminent  man,  Governor  Bradford  writes,  under 
date  of  the  year  1643 :  * 

"I  am  to  begin  this  year  with  that  which  was  a 
matter  of  great  sadness  and  mourning  unto  them  all. 
About  the  i8th  of  April  died  their  reverend  elder, 
and  my  dear  and  loving  friend,  Mr.  William  Brew- 
ster,  a  man  who  had  done  and  suffered  much  for  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  the  gospel's  sake,  and  had  borne  his 
part  in  weal  and  woe  with  this  poor  persecuted  church 

*  There  is  a  little  uncertainty  whether  Elc'er  Brewster  died  in  the 
year  1640  or  1644. 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  335 

above  thirty-six  years  in  England,  Holland,  and  in 
this  wilderness,  and  done  the  Lord  and  them  faith- 
ful service  in  his  place  and  calling.  And  notwith- 
standing the  many  troubles  and  sorrows  he  passed 
through,  the  Lord  upheld  him  to  a  great  age.  He 
was  near  fourscore  years  of  age,  if  not  all  out,  when 
he  died.0  He  had  this  blessing  added  by  the 
Lord  to  all  the  rest,  to  die  in  his  bed,  in  peace 
among  the  midst  of  his  friends,  who  mourned  and 
wept  over  him,  and  ministered  what  help  and  comfort 
they  could  unto  him,  and  he  again  recomforted  them 
while  he  could. 

"  His  sickness  was  not  long,  and  till  the  last  day 
thereof,  he  did  not  wholly  keep  his  bed.  His  speech 
continued  till  somewhat  more  than  half  a  day,  and 
then  failed  him.  About  nine  or  ten  o'clock  that  even- 
ing he  died,  without  any  pangs  at  all.  A  few  hours 
before  his  death  he  drew  his  breath  short,  and  some 
few  minutes  before  his  last  he  drew  his  breath  long, 
as  a  man  falling  into  a  sound  sleep,  without  any  pangs 
or  gaspings,  and  so  sweetly  departed  this  life  unto  a 
better.  I  would  now  demand  of  any,  what  was  he  the 
worse  for  any  former -sufferings  ?  What  do  I  say — 
worse  ?  Nay,  sure  he  was  the  better,  and  they  now 
added  to  his  honor.  '  It  is  a  manifest  token/  saith 
the  apostle, 'of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  that 

*  Morton  says,  "  He  was  fourscore  and  four  years  of  age." 


336  MILES   STANDISH. 

ye  may  be  accounted  worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
for  which  ye  also  suffer ;  seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing 
with  God  to  recompense  tribulation  to  them  that 
trouble  you  ;  and  to  you  who  are  troubled,  rest  with 
us  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven 
with  his  mighty  angels.'  What  though  he  wanted  the 
riches  and  pleasures  of  the  world  in  this  life,  and 
pompous  monuments  at  his  funeral,  yet  the  just  shall 
be  blessed,  when  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot, 
with  their  marble  monuments." 

A  very  pleasing  account  is  given  by  Prince,  of  the 
mode  in  which  public  worship  was  conducted  by  these 
Christians,  who  were  anxious  in  all  things  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  habits  of  the  disciples  in  apostolic  days. 
The  customs  they  observed  have  been  transmitted  to 
the  present  times  in  our  meetings  for  conference  and 
prayer.  On  Thursday,  the  25th  of  October,  1632, 
Governor  Winthrop,  with  Mr.  Wilson,  who  was  pas- 
tor of  the  church  in  Boston,  with  several  other  Chris- 
tian friends,  made  a  visit  to  Plymouth.  They  were 
received  with  great  hospitality.  Governor  Bradford, 
Rev.  Mr.  Brewster,  the  ruling  elder,  and  several  oth- 
ers of  the  prominent  men  of  Plymouth,  came  some 
distance  out  from  the  village  to  meet  their  friends, 
who  probably  travelled  on  foot.  They  were  conducted 
to  the  house  of  Governor  Bradford,  where  most  oi 
them  were  entertained  during  their  stay.  They  were, 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  337 

however,  every  day  invited  to  dinner  parties  at  the 
houses  of  the  more  opulent  of  the  villagers. 

On  Sunday  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  administered,  in  the  morning.  The  service  oc- 
cupied the  whole  time.  In  the  afternoon  devotions, 
the  service  was  opened  by  Mr.  Roger  Williams,  who 
propounded  a  question  of  theology,  or  of  conscience, 
upon  which  he  made  sundry  remarks.  Rev.  Mr. 
Smith,  pastor  of  the  Boston  church,  then  spoke  briefly 
upon  the  subject.  Mr.  Williams  again  spoke,  quot- 
ing freely  from  the  Bible  in  explanation  of  the  ques- 
tion which  he  had  proposed.  Then  Governor  Brad- 
ford, who  had  studied  Hebrew,  and  was  familiar  with 
all  scriptural  antiquities,  expressed  his  views  upon 
the  subject.  He  was  followed  by  Elder  Brewster. 
His  reputation,  as  a  man  of  profound  learning,  caused 
all  to  listen  attentively  when  he  spake.  Then,  by 
special  invitation  from  the  Elder,  Governor  Winthrop 
spoke  upon  the  question,  followed  by  Mr.  Wilson, 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Boston.  Deacon  Fuller,  who 
was  also  the  physician  of  the  colony  at  Plymouth, 
then  called  for  the  contribution  for  the  support  of 
public  worship  and  of  the  poor.  The  Governor,  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  congregation  rose  from  their  seats 
and  went  to  the  deacon's  seat  to  deposit  their  gifts. 
The  exercises  were  closed  with  the  benediction. 

This  peculiarity  of  having  various  members  of  the 
IS 


338  MILES  STANDISH. 

church  speak  in  public  worship,  one  after  another, 
they  brought  with  them  from  Holland,  such  having 
been  the  practice  adopted  by  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson, 
founded  on  the  primitive  practice  of  the  church  at 
Corinth,  as  recorded  by  St.  Paul,  in  chapter  xiii. 
of  the  Acts,  I4th  and  i$th  verses.  But,  as  the  com- 
munity advanced  in  intelligence,  it  was  found  that 
study  was  essential  to  the  teacher  who,  Sabbath  after 
Sabbath,  would  interest  a  congregation.  It  was  also 
remembered  that  such  a  practice  was  peculiarly 
adapted  to  the  age  of  inspiration  which  had  passed 
away.  Thus  the  practice  was  gradually  laid  aside 
for  the  mode  of  worship  now  adopted  by  all  the 
churches  descended  from  the  Puritans.  The  highly 
educated  preacher,  in  the  stated  services  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, brings  from  his  treasury  things  new  and  old  for 
the  benefit  of  the  church  and  congregation.  But  in 
frequent  meetings  for  conference  and  prayer,  all  the 
brethren  of  the  church  have  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
pressing their  views  upon  all  questions  of  faith  and 
practice. 

There  was  probably  no  more  sincere  mourner,  at 
the  grave  of  Elder  Brewster,  than  his  life-long  com- 
panion and  friend,  Captain  Miles  Standish.  As  we 
have  mentioned,  their  farms  in  Duxbury  were  side  by 
side.  They  had  gathered  around  them  several  men  of 
congenial  spirit,  among  whom  we  find  the  name  of 


STANDISH  MONUMENT. 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY. 


339 


John  Alden.  From  whatever  direction  one  approach- 
es the  homes  of  these  illustrious  men,  he  sees  looming 
up  before  him  the  remarkable  eminence  known  as 
"  Captain's  Hill."  It  is  an  oval-shaped  mound,  rising 
to  the  height  of  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet. 
This  hill  was  on  the  farm  of  Captain  Standish.  From 
its  summit,  scenery  of  landscape  and  water  was  pre- 
sented, in  a  calm  summer's  day,  such  as  can  scarcely 
be  surpassed  in  beauty  in  any  country. 

In  a  clear  atmosphere  one  can  discern,  in  the  far 
distance  of  the  eastern  horizon,  over  the  bay,  the  out- 
line of  the  sand-hills  of  Cape  Cod,  with  its  sickle  bend 
forming  in  the  extreme  north  the  harbor  where  the 
Mayflower  first  cast  anchor ;  and  where  for  five 
long  weeks  their  shattered  bark  rested  while  the 
Pilgrims  were  in  vain  seeking  for  a  home.  Almost  at 
one's  feet  is  to  be  seen  the  whole  expanse  of  Ply- 
mouth Bay,  with  the  entrance  through  which  their 
storm-shattered  shallop  passed  through  the  foaming 
breakers  on  either  side.  There  was  then  no  light- 
house on  Gurnet's  Point  to  guide  their  endangered 
keel.  Just  before  you  is  Clark's  Isle,  under  whose 
lee,  in  the  midnight  tempest,  the  Pilgrims  found 
shelter,  when  every  moment  in  danger  of  being  sub- 
merged by  the  waves  ;  and  where  they  'passed  the 
ever-memorable  Sabbath. 

From  the  summit  of  the  hill,  all  the  land  to  the 


J4O  MILES   STANDISM. 

south  belonged  to  Captain  Standish.  On  the  east, 
spreading  out  to  the  water's  edge,  including  what  is  - 
called  the  Nook,  were  the  acres  allotted  to  Elder 
Brewster.  Near  the  site  of  the  humble  house  which 
he  reared  and  occupied,  are  still  to  be  seen  the 
gray  and  decaying  remains  of  a  farm-house,  and  its 
outbuildings,  erected  by  some  one  of  his  'immediate 
successors.  It  was  from  this  spot  that  the  remains 
of  the  Elder  were  conveyed,  in  long  procession  wind- 
ing around  the  western  shore  of  the  bay,  to  their 
final  resting-place  on  Burial  Hill. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  these  peaceful  scenes  that 
Captain  Miles  Standish  passed  the  evening  of  his 
days,  mainly  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  But 
whenever  serious  trouble  came,  his  energies  were 
immediately  called  into  requisition. 

When  the  English  commenced  their  settlements 
on  Connecticut  River,  Uncas,  sachem  of  the  Mohegan 
Indians,  acknowledged  a  sort  of  feudal  submission  to 
Sassacus,  the  powerful  chief  of  the  Pequot  tribe. 
This  chieftain  had,  as  we  have  mentioned,  twenty-six 
minor  sachems,  who  paid  him  feudal  homage.  Uncas 
was  a  very  ambitious,  energetic  man,  and  he  was 
gradually  bringing  minor  tribes  under  his  sway.  His 
territory  was  situated  east  of  the  Connecticut  River 
and  north  of  New  London,  Stonington  and  Norwich. 
Uncas,  though  a  friend  of  the  white  men,  was  bitterly 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  341 

hostile  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity  among  the 
Indians.  Some  occasion  of  war  arose  between  the 
Narragansets  and  the  Mohegans,  and  a  very  large 
force  of  the  former  fell  upon  Uncas,  and  slew  a  large 
number  of  his  men,  while  they  wounded  more.  This 
was  in  the  year  1645,  two  years  after  the  death  of 
Elder  Brewster.  Many  of  the  Narragansets  had 
obtained  muskets.  Being  superior  in  numbers  to  the 
Mohegans,  and  more  powerfully  armed,  they  gained 
an  easy  victory. 

The  English  were  not  willing  to  see  their  friend 
and  ally  thus  destroyed.  They  were  bound  by  treaty 
to  defend  him,  and  sent  to  the  Narragansets  a  remon- 
strance. The  Narragansets,  having  engaged  the  co- 
operation of  the  Mohawks,  and  flushed  with  victory, 
returned  an  insulting  and  defiant  answer.  The  Con- 
necticut colonists  immediately  despatched  forty  well- 
armed  men,  for  the  protection  of  their  ally,  while 
commissioners  from  the  several  English  colonies  met, 
at  Boston,  to  decide  upon  what  further  measures  to 
adopt.  Three  messengers  were  sent  to  the  Narragan- 
sets and  to  the  Mohegans,  calling  upon  both  par- 
ties to  appoint  commissioners  to  confer  with  the 
English  upon  the  points  in  dispute,  and  thus  to 
settle  the  question  by  diplomacy  and  not  by  butch- 
ery. If  the  Narragansets  refused  to  accede  this 
proposal,  which  they  were  bound,  by  previous  treaty, 


342  MILES   STANDISH. 

to  respect,  they  were  to  be  informed  that  the  Eng- 
lish had  already  sent  forty  armed  men  to  Uncas, 
and  a  definite  answer  was  demanded  to  the  question 
whether  they  intended  to  abide  by  the  treaty  of  peace, 
into  which  they  had  entered  with  the  English,  or 
whether  they  intended  to  make  war  upon  them  also. 

To  this  perfectly  just  and  friendly  message,  the 
Narragansets  returned  again  a  contemptuous  and 
threatening  reply.  At  the  same  time  Roger  Williams, 
who  dwelt  in  the  near  vicinity,  almost  in  the  midst  of 
the  Narragansets,  and  who  was  familiar  with  all  their 
operations,  wrote  to  the  Governors  of  Plymouth  and 
of  Massachusetts,  stating  that  the  war  would  soon 
break  out  far  and  wide,  with  great  violence,  and  the 
whole  country  would  be  in  flames.  This  was  alarm- 
ing tidings  to  the  English.  By  the  arts  of  peace  alone 
could  they  be  enriched,  and  for  peace  and  friendship 
their  hearts  yearned. 

The  Narragansets  were  not  far  from  Plymouth. 
The  fiend-like  warfare  of  the  savages,  with  their  hid- 
eous yells,  tomahawks  and  firebrands,  would  first  fall 
upon  the  scattered  farm-houses  of  that  colony.  An 
immediate  convention  was  called  of  the  magistrates, 
elders  and  chief  military  commanders  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts and  Plymouth  colonies.  They  came  unani- 
mously to  the  following  decisions,  That  they  were 
bound,  by  treaty,  to  aid  and  defend  Uncas  ;  that  this 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  343 

aid  was  not  intended  merely  to  defend  him  in  his  fort, 
or  when  attacked  in  his  dwelling,  but  also  to  enable 
him  to  preserve  his  liberty  and  his  estates ;  that  this 
aid  must  be  immediately  furnished  or  Uncas  would 
be  overwhelmed  and  ruined  by  his  enemies ;  that  the 
war  against  the  Narragansets  being  so  manifestly  just, 
the  reasons  for  it  ought  to  be  proclaimed  to  the  world  ; 
that  a  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  should  be  ap- 
pointed to  implore  the  Divine  guidance  and  blessing ; 
that  three  hundred  men  should  be  immediately  sent 
to  the  aid  of  Uncas,  of  which  Massachusetts  should 
furnish  one  hundred  and  ninety,  Plymouth  forty, 
Connecticut  forty,  and  New  Haven  thirty ;  that,  con- 
sidering the  immediate  danger  of  Uncas,  forty  men 
should  be  instantly  sent  to  his  succor  from  Massachu- 
setts. 

In  accordance  with  the  promptness  which  has  ever 
characterized  the  Massachusetts  colony,  scarcely  an 
hour  elapsed,  after  the  tidings  reached  Boston,  ere  the 
men  were  on  the  march.  Governor  Bradford,  speaking 
of  the  insolent  tone  adopted  by  the  Narragansets,  writes, 

"  They  received  the  English  commissioners  with 
scorn  and  contempt,  and  told  them  that  they  would 
have  no  peace  with  Uncas  without  his  head.  They 
also  gave  them  this  further  answer, — that  it  mattered 
not  who  began  the  war,  they  were  resolved  to  follow 
it  up,  and  that  the  English  should  withdraw  their  gar- 


344  MILES   STANDISH. 

rison  from  Uncas,  or  they  would  bring  down  the  Mo- 
hawks upon  them.  And  withal  they  gave  them  this 
threatening  answer,  that  they  would  lay  the  English 
cattle  on  heaps  as  high  as  their  houses,  and  that  no 
Englishman  should  step  out  of  his  door  but  that  he 
should  be  shot." 

The  English  commissioners  needed  guides  to  lead 
them  through  the  wilderness  of  the  Narraganset 
country,  to  communicate  the  reply  of  the  Narragan- 
set chiefs  to  Uncas.  They  refused  to  furnish  them 
with  any  guide.  At  last,  in  scorn  they  brought  for- 
ward a  poor,  old,  decrepit  Pequot  woman  saying,  with 
derisive  laughter,  that  they  might  take  her  if  they 
pleased.  In  addition  to  all  these  indignities  the  com- 
missioners were  seriously  menaced  with  personal  vio- 
lence. As  their  interpreter  was  communicating  his 
message  to  the  sachems,  three  burly  savages  came 
and  stood  behind  him,  brandishing  their  tomahawks 
in  the  most  insulting  and  threatening  manner.  The 
friendly  Indians,  who  had  accompanied  the  English, 
were  so  alarmed  by  this  conduct  of  the  Narragansets 
that  they  fled  in  the  utmost  haste,  leaving  the  com- 
missioners to  go  home  alone. 

"  Thus,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  while  the 
commissioners  in  care  of  the  public  peace  sought 
to  quench  the  fire  kindled  among  the  Indians,  these 
children  of  strife  breathe  out  threatenings,  provoca- 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  345 

tion  and  war  against  the  English  themselves.  So 
that  unless  they  should  dishonor  and  provoke  God  by 
violating  a  just  engagement,  and  expose  the  colonies 
to  contempt  and  danger  from  the  barbarians,  they  can- 
not but  exercise  force,  when  no  other  means  will  pre- 
vail to  reduce  the  Narragansets  and  their  confede- 
rates to  a  more  just  and  sober  temper." 

The  Plymouth  colonists  were  as  prompt  in  action 
as  those  of  Massachusetts.  Captain  Miles  Standish 
was  of  course  placed  at  the  head  of  the  command. 
With  rapid  steps  his  little  army  of  forty  men  traversed 
the  forest  to  the  appointed  rendezvous  at  Seekonk, 
now  Rehoboth.  Having  a  much  shorter  journey  to 
take,  he  was  encamped  upon  the  spot  before  the  Mas- 
sachusetts men  reached  it.  The  Connecticut  and 
New  Haven  forces  also  soon  arrived.  Quite  a  large 
number  oi  friendly  Indian  warriors  also  joined  them. 
They  were  armed  with  muskets,  and  placed  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Standish. 

All  these  measures  were  adopted  with  the  great- 
est energy  and  promptness.  The  sachem  of  the  Nar- 
ragansets had,  a  short  time  before,  sent  a  present  to 
the  Governor  of  Massachusetts.  It  was  intended 
either  to  blind  him  as  to  their  hostile  designs,  or  to 
bribe  him  not  to  interpose  in  behalf  of  the  Mohegans. 
But  the  Governor  was  not  thus  to  be  duped.  He 
frankly  informed  the  messenger  that  he  was  not  fully 


346  MILES   STANDISH. 

satisfied  respecting  the  friendly  intentions  of  the  sa- 
chem of  the  Narragansets, — that  he  could  not,  there- 
fore, immediately  accept  the  present.  He  would  not 
however  refuse  it,  but  would  lay  it  aside  to  wait  the 
developments  of  the  future. 

The  military  bands  being  now  all  assembled  at 
Rehoboth  and  ready  to  march  into  the  territoiy  of  the 
Narragansets,  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  before 
commencing  hostilities,  sent  two  commissioners,  with 
an  interpreter,  to  return  the  present  to  the  Narragan- 
set  sachem,  and  to  inform  him  that  he  had  already 
sent  forty  men  for  the  protection  of  Uncas,  and  that 
another  armed  force  was  on  the  march  to  defend  him. 
They  were  also  directed  to  inform  the  Narraganset 
sachem  that  the  English  troops  had  express  orders  to 
stand  only  upon  his  and  their  own  defence  ;  that  they 
should  make  no  attempt  to  invade  the  Narraganset 
country ;  and  that  if  the  sachem  would  make  repara- 
tion for  the  wrongs  which  he  had  already  inflicted 
upon  the  Mohegans,  and  would  give  security  for  his 
peaceful  conduct  in  future,  he  would  find  that  the 
English  were  as  desirous  of  peace,  and  as  reluctant 
to  shed  Narraganset  blood,  as  they  ever  had  been.  In 
conclusion,  this  messenger,  seeking  only  peace,  said : 

"  If,  therefore,  Pessecus  and  Innemo,  with  the 
other  sachems,  will,  without  further  delay,  come  to 
Boston,  they  shall  have  free  liberty  to  come  and  re- 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  347 

turn  without  molestation,  or  any  just  grievance  from 
the  English.  But  deputies  will  not  now  serve ;  nor 
may  the  preparations  in  hand  be  now  stayed,  or  the 
directions  given  recalled,  till  the  forementioned  saga- 
mores come,  and  some  further  order  be  taken.  But 
if  the  Narragansets  will  have  nothing  but  war,  the 
English  are  providing  for  it,  and  will  proceed  accord- 
ingly." 

These  wise  measures  accomplished  the  desired 
results.  The  Narraganset  sachems  had  sufficient  in- 
telligence to  perceive  that  they  were  arraying  against 
themselves  forces  which  they  were  but  poorly  able  to 
withstand.  Three  of  their  most  prominent  chiefs, 
xvith  a  large  array  of  warriors,  after  a  few  days  visited 
Boston,  and  entered  into  a  treaty  of  peace. 

The  Indians  agreed  to  pay  to  Massachusetts  two 
thousand  fathoms  of  good  white  wampum,  in  payments 
extending  through  two  years  ;  to  restore  to  Uncas  all 
the  captives,  men,  women  and  children  they  had 
taken,  and  all  the  canoes,  and  to  pay  in  full  for  the 
corn  they  had  destroyed  or  carried  away.  They  also 
agreed  to  meet  the  commissioners  from  the  several 
colonies  at  New  Haven,  and  submit  to  their  arbitra- 
tion those  grievances  which  would  otherwise  result  in 
war.  There  were  one  or  two  other  articles  in  the 
treaty  of  a  similar  nature.  Four  children  of  the  sa- 
chems were,  within  fourteen  days,  to  be  surrendered 


348  MILES    STANDISH. 

as  hostages  to  the  English,  to  be  tenderly  cared  for 
by  them,  until  the  terms  of  the  treaty  should  be  ful- 
filled. Thus  happily  this  menace  of  war  was  dispelled. 

A  little  while  before  the  events  which  we  have 
above  recorded,  a  serious  design  was  entertained  of 
abandoning  the  location  at  Plymouth  and  removing  to 
some  place  where  they  would  find  richer  soil.  Not 
only  was  the  soil  at  Plymouth  so  barren  that  it  would 
scarcely  repay  cultivation,  but  the  harbor  was  incom- 
modious and  shallow.  Several  general  meetings 
were  held,  and  the  subject  was  very  thoroughly  dis- 
cussed. Many  had  already  moved  to  other  loca- 
tions, and  the  church  had  thus  become  seriously 
weakened. 

"  Some,"  writes  Governor  Bradford,  "  were  still  for 
staying  together  in  this  place,  alleging  that  men  and 
women  might  here  live,  if  they  would  be  content  with 
their  condition.  And  it  was  not  for  want  of  necessi- 
ties so  much  they  removed,  as  for  the  enriching  of 
themselves.  Others  were  resolute  upon  removal,  and 
so  signified  that  here  they  would  not  stay  ;  that  if  the 
church  did  not  remove,  they  must;  insomuch  that 
many  were  swayed,  rather  than  that  there  should  be 
a  dissolution  of  the  church,  to  condescend  to  a  re- 
moval, if  a  fit  place  could  be  found,  that  might  more 
conveniently  and  comfortably  receive  the  whole,  with 
such  accession  of  others  as  might  come  to  them,  for 


REMOVAL  TO   UUXBURY.  349 

their  better  strength  and  subsistence,  and  some  such 
like  cautions  and  limitations." 

A  committee  of  the  church  was  chosen,  by  advice 
of  Governor  Bradford,  to  select  a  place  to  move  to. 
They  repaired  to  Nauset,  on  Cape  Cod,  where  is  now 
the  town  of  Eastham.  The  report  they  brought  back 
was  so  much  in  favor  of  the  place  that  the  large  ma- 
jority of  the  church  consented  to  remove  there.  But 
it  was  soon  found  that  they  had  by  no  means  im- 
proved their  condition  by  the  removal.  The  result  is 
graphically  described  by  Governor  Bradford  : 

"  Now  they  began  to  see  their  error,  that  they  had 
given  away  already  the  best  and  most  commodious 
places  to  others,  and  now  wanted  them  themselves. 
For  this  place  was  about  fifty  miles  from  here,  and  at 
an  outside  of  the  country,  remote  from  all  society. 
Also  it  would  prove  so  strait  as  it  would  not  be  com- 
petent to  receive  the  whole  body,  much  less  be  capa- 
ble of  any  addition  or  increase.  Thus,  in  a  short  time, 
they  would  be  worse  there  than  they  are  now  here. 
The  which,  with  sundry  other  like  considerations  and 
inconveniences,  made  them  change  their  resolutions. 
But  such  as  were  before  resolved  upon  removal  took 
advantage  of  this  agreement,  and  went  on,  notwith- 
standing ;  neither  could  the  rest  hinder  them,  they 
having  made  some  beginning.  Thus  was  this  poor 
church  left,  like  an  ancient  mother,  grown  old  and 


350  MILES   STANDISH. 

forsaken  of  her  children,  though  not  in  their  affec- 
tions, yet  in  regard  to  their  bodily  presence  and  per-  ' 
sonal  helpfulness.  Her  ancient  members  being  most 
of  them  worn  away  by  death  ;  and  these  of  later  times 
being  like  children  translated  into  other  families,  and 
she,  like  a  widow,  left  only  to  trust  in  God.  Thus 
she  that  had  made  many  rich  became  herself  poor." 
It  required  sleepless  vigilance  and  the  wisest 
measures  to  keep  peace  with  the  Indians.  There 
were  now,  in  the  sevefal  colonies,  many  individual 
white  men  who  were  totally  unprincipled.  No  power 
of  law  could  restrain  them  from  insulting  and  abusing 
the  Indians.  The  ignorant  savages  had  very  inade- 
quate conceptions  of  justice,  and  avenged  themselves 
upon  any  white  men  who  fell  into  their  hands.  One 
of  these  miscreant  white  men,  who  was  running  away 
from  Massachusetts,  was  killed  by  an  Indian,  in  the 
woods  between  Fairfield  and  Stamford.  No  one 
knows  whether  the  Indian  had  any  provocation  to 
commit  the  deed.  The  murderer  was  demanded  by 
the  Massachusetts  authorities.  The  sachem  of  the 
tribe  promised  to  deliver  him  to  the  English,  bound. 
Ten  Englishmen  were  sent  to  receive  the  prisoner. 
The  Indians,  who  were  in  charge  of  the  captive,  as 
soon  as  they  came  in  sight  of  the  English  party,  cut 
his  bands  and  he  fled  like  a  deer  into  the  woods. 
Upon  this  the  English  seized  eight  of  the  Indians,  in- 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  351 

eluding  two  sachems,  and  held  them  in  close  cap- 
tivity for  two  days,  until  they  received,  from  the 
chiefs,  satisfactory  promises  that  the  murderer  should 
be  delivered  to  them. 

About  a  week  after  this,  a  wandering  Indian  came 
to  a  lonely  hut  in  Stamford,  and  finding  a  woman 
alone,  killed  her,  as  he  supposed,  and  robbed  the 
house.  All  the  Indians  in  that  region  seemed  angry, 
sullen,  and  often  insulting.  It  was  not  deemed  safe 
for  the  English  to  travel,  unless  well  armed  and  in 
some  strength.  A  vigilant  watch  had  to  be  kept 
night  and  day.  This  was  a  very  uncomfortable  state 
of  things,  but  no  remedy  could  be  devised  for  it.  So 
many  had  moved  from  Plymouth  that  the  little  village 
was  quite  in  a  state  of  decay.  Duxbury,  where  Miles 
Standish  had  taken  his  farm,  was,  as  we  have  men- 
tioned, at  a  distance  of  eight  miles  from  Plymouth. 
Francis  Baylies,  alluding  to  the  place  in  the  year 
1830,  writes: 

"  The  extensive  pine  forest,  the  certain  evidence 
of  sandy  and  barren  soil,  which  even  now  almost 
skirts  the  ancient  town  of  Plymouth  on  the  south  and 
the  west,  prevented  any  extension  of  population  in 
that  direction,  and  on  the  east  the  ocean  was  its 
boundary.  So  unconquerable  is  the  barrenness  of 
this  region,  that  even  now  the  wild  deer  makes  his 
lair  in  the  same  place  where  deer  were  hunted  by  our 


352  MILES   STANDISH. 

forefathers  two  centuries  ago,  and  a  few  wretched 
Indians  inhabit  the  primeval  woods  in  which  their 
ancestors  disdained  to  dwell."  * 

Fear  of  the  Indians,  with  whom  hostilities  were 
liable  at  any  time  to  break  out,  prevented  the  colonists 
from  selecting  farms  far  inland.  The  strong  settle- 
ments on  Massachusetts  Bay  induced  the  Plymouth 
people  to  extend  their  settlements  along  the  ocean 
shore  in  that  direction.  The  second  church  of  the 
Plymouth  colony  was  established  at  Duxbury. 

The  house  which  Captain  Standish  occupied  here 
during  the  long  evening  of  his  eventful  life,  was  situ- 
ated on  the  southeastern  part  of  the  peninsula,  where 
the  remains  of  the  cellar,  which  he  probably  dug,  are 
still  to  be  seen.  The  house  in  Duxbury,  now  called 
the  Standish  House,  was  built  by  his  son,  Alexander, 
partly  it  is  supposed  from  timbers  taken  from  the  old 
house.  This  fact  seems  to  be  substantiated  from  the 
appearance  of  the  beams,  which  bear  the  traces  of  a 
peculiar  saw,  which  was  used  before  the  introduction 
of  saw-mills.  The  hearthstone  also,  as  well  as  the 
doors  and  latchings,  were  doubtless  used  in  the  pater- 
nal home.  It  was  by  the  side  of  that  fireplace  that 
the  heroic  captain  sat  and  mused,  while  the  storms  of 
a  New  England  winter  shook  his  dwelling.  The  tim- 
bers are  of  oak,  and  very  sound  and  strong. 

*  Memoir  of  New  Plymouth,  by  Francis  Baylies,  part  i,  p.  277. 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  353 

Upon  the  south  side  of  Captain's  Hill  there  is  a 
large  rock,  called  the  Captain's  Chair.  Near  this  spot 
the  original  barn  was  erected.  The  farm  comprised 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  and  contained 
some  of  the  most  fertile  land  to  be  found  in  the 
county  of  Plymouth.  Other  parts  of  the  town  are 
sandy  and  unproductive.  Clark's  Island,  where  the 
explorers  of  Plymouth  Bay  passed  their  first  Sabbath, 
is  said  to  possess,  in  some  parts,  a  rich  soil,  which  can 
scarcely  be  surpassed  in  any  country.  "  While  the 
northern  and  western  sides  offer  the  most  desirable 
qualities  for  pasturage  and  grain,  its  southern  and 
eastern  declivities  present  a  perfect  garden,  abound- 
ing with  trees,  through  whose  foliage,  even  during 
the  summer's  hottest  months,  stir  the  breezes  from 
the  sea." 

The  historian  of  Duxbury  describes  the  scene 
now  witnessed  from  the  summit  of  Captain's  Hill, 
and  endeavors  to  give  expression  to  the  emotions 
which  the  view  must  awaken  in  every  reflective  mind. 
He  writes : 

"  Select,  should  you  visit  it,  the  closing  hours  of  a 
summer's  day,  when  the  burning  heat  of  the  declining 
sun  is  dispelled  by  the  cooler  shades  of  approaching 
evening,  and  ascend  to  its  height.  Now  as  the  retir- 
ing rays  of  day  form  on  the  heavens  above  a  gorgeous 
canopy  of  variegated  hues,  so  on  nature's  face  below 


354  MILES   STANDISH. 

all  brightens  into  richness,  and  the  verdure  of  her 
covering  softens  into  mildness  ;  the  shining  villages 
around,  and  the  village  spires  towering  against  a 
background  of  unfading  green,  add  gladness  to  the 
scene.  The  glassy  surface  of  the  bay  within,  with  its 
gentle  ripplings  on  the  shore  beneath,  the  music  of 
the  dashing  waves  on  the  beach  without,  give  quiet 
to  the  mind  and  peace  within. 

"  Before  you,  in  the  distance  at  the  east,  appear 
the  white  sand-hills  of  Cape  Cod,  shining  beyond 
the  blue  expanse,  and  seeming  to  encircle  by  its  pro- 
tecting barrier  a  spot  dear  to  the  heart  of  every  de- 
scendant of  that  Pilgrim  band.  Still  nearer,  at  your 
feet  and  before  you,  are  the  pleasant  bays  of  Ply- 
mouth, Kingston,  and  Duxbury,  enlivened  by  passing 
boats,  and  sheltered  by  the  beach  from  a  raging 
ocean,  crowned  at  its  southern  extremity  by  a  light- 
house, and  with  the  extending  arm  of  Saquish  enclos- 
ing the  Island  of  the  Pilgrims  ;  turning  your  eyes  to 
the  south,  they  fall  in  succession  on  the  promontory 
of  Manomet ;  on  the  ancient  town  of  Plymouth,  rising 
beneath,  and — as  if  under  the  protection  of  the  mound 
beyond,  the  resting-place  of  the  Pilgrim's  dead — on 
the  villages  of  Rocky  NOOK  and  of  Kingston. 

"  Extending  your  eye  over  the  extent  of  forest  to 
the  northwest,  you  see  the  Blue  Hills  of  Milton,  as- 
cending far  above  the  surrounding  country;  while 


REMOVAL  TO   DUXBURY.  355 

nearer,  at  the  north,  are  the  villages  of  Duxbury  and 
Marshfield,  scattered  over  the  fields,  whose  white  cot- 
tages, shining  in  the  sun,  offer  a  pleasing  contrast  to 
the  scene.  Below  you  and  around  you  once  arose  the 
humble  abode  of  the  Pilgrims.  Who  can  gaze  upon 
the  spot  which  marks  the  site  of  the  dwelling  of 
Standish,  without  feelings  of  emotion  ?  who  can  but 
give  thanks  tb?t  that  spirit — 

'  A  spirit  fit  to  start  into  an  empire 
And  look  the  world  to  law ' — 

had  been  sent  amongst  them,  to  be  then-  counsel  in 
peace  and  their  protection  in  danger  ?  Who  can  but 
admire  its  ready  adaptation  to  a  sphere  of  action  so 
totally  different  from  the  school  of  his  youth  ?  Here 
also  argse  the  dwellings  of  Brewster,  who  having  fol- 
lowed in  his  youth  the  retinue  of  kings  and  princes, 
preferred  a  solitary  retreat  in  the  western  wilds,  and 
there  to  worship  his  God  in  peace*  Here,  too,  was 
the  abode  of  Collier,  who,  under  every  circumstance 
of  danger,  strove  with  unceasing  toil  in  the  discharge 
of  every  duty  necessary  to  the  welfare  and  prosperity 
of  the  colony.  Here,  too,  can  be  seen  the  spot 
whereon  the  habitation  of  Alden  was,  whose  prudent 
counsels  and  whose  rigid  justice  attained  for  him  a 
rank  in  the  estimation  of  the  colony,  alike  an  honor  to 
himself,  and  a  subject  of  pride  to  his  descendants. 


356  MILES    STANDISH. 

Turn  your  vision  as  you  may,  and  you  will  feel  that 
you  are  gazing  on  a  scene  of  more  than  ordinary  in- 
terest, full  of  the  most  grateful  recollections,  and  of 
a  nature  the  most  agreeable  and  pleasing. 

"  '  Scenes  must  be  beautiful,  which  daily  viewed 
Please  daily,  and  whose  novelty  survives 
Long  knowledge  and  the  scrutiny  of  years, — 
Praise  justly  due  to  those  that  I  describe.' 

"  Rose,  the  first  wife  of  Myles  Standish,  died  at 
Plymouth,  January  29,  1621,  about  a  month  after  the 
landing.  She  was  among  the  first  to  succumb  to  the 
privations  of  that  terrible  first  winter.  He  married 
a  second  wife  (Barbara),  who  survived  him. 

"To  his  house  on  Captain's  Hill,  Standish  re- 
moved after  his  second  marriage,  and  here  he  drew 
around  him  a  devoted  class  of  friends,  among  whom 
were  the  elder  Brewster,  George  Partridge,  John  Al- 
den,  Mr.  Howland,  Francis  Eaton,  Peter  Brown, 
George  Soule,  Nicholas  Byrom,  Moses  Simmons,  and 
other  settlers  of  Duxbury. 

"  The  Indians  also  loved  as  well  as  feared  him, 
and  the  faithful  Hobbomak  ever  kept  near  to  minister 
to  his  wants,  and  was  the  faithful  guide  in  his  travels. 
This  devoted  Indian  died  in  1642,  having-  faithfully 
served  his  master  twenty  years,  and  is  supposed  to 
have  been  buried  on  the  south  side  of  Captain's  Hill, 
near  the  great  rock  called  '  The  Captain's  chair.' 


REMOVAL   TO   DUXBURY,  357 


Tradition  fixes  his  wigwam  between  two  shell  mounds 
on  the  shore  near  the  Standish  place,  till  taken  home 
to  the  house  of  Standish,  where  he  became  an  inmate 
till  his  death." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Standish  Monument.  . 

The  Will  of  Captain  Standish. — His  Second  Wife — Captain's  Hill.— 
The  Monument. — Letters  from  President  Grant  and  General 
Hooker. — Oration  by  General  Horace  Binney  Sargent. — Sketch 
of  his  Life. — Other  Speakers. — Laying  the  Corner  Stone.— De- 
scription of  the  Shaft. 

None  of  the  particulars  of  the  last  Jiours  of  Cap- 
tain Standish  have  been  transmitted  to  our  day.  So 
far  as  is  known  he  enjoyed  good  health  until  his  last 
sickness.  His  will  was  dated  March  ist,  1655.  In 
it  he  expressed  the  wish  that,  should  he  die  at  Dux- 
bury,  his  body  should  be  buried  by  the  side  of  his  two 
dear  daughters,  Lora  Standish,  and  Mary  Standish, 
his  daughter-in  law.  One-third  part  of  his  estate  he 
bequeathed  to  his  dear  and  loving  wife,  Barbara  Stan- 
dish.  The  following  extract  from  his  will  indicates 
the  devout  character  of  the  man  : 

"  I  do,  by  this  my  will,  make  and  appoint  my  lov- 
ing friends,  Mr.  Timothy  Hatherly  and  Captain  James 
Cudworth,  supervisors  of  this  my  last  will ;  and  that 
they  will  be  pleased  to  do  the  office  of  Christian  love, 
to  be  helpful  to  my  poor  wife  and  children,  by  their 
Christian  counsel  and  advice ;  and  if  any  difference 
should  arise,  which  I  hope  will  not,  my  will  is  that 


THE   STANDISH   MONUMENT.  359 

my  said  supervisors  shall  determine  the  same,  and 
that  they  see  that  my  poor  wife  shall  have  as  comfort- 
able maintainance  as  my  poor  state  will  bear,  the 
whole  time  of  her  life,  which  if  you  my  loving  friends 
please  to  do,  though  neither  they  nor  I  shall  be  able 
to  recompense,  I  do  not  doubt  that  the  Lord  will." 

There  is  a  tradition  that  Captain  Standish's  second 
wife,  Barbara,  was  a  sister  of  his  first  wife,  Rose. 
When  the  Mayflower  sailed,  she  was  left  an  orphan 
in  England.  She  afterwards  reached  the  colony  a 
full  grown  woman,  and  became  the  wife  of  the  Captain, 

Captain  Standish  died  the  3d  of  October,  1656. 
But  his  character  and  achievements  were  such  that 
for  two  hundred  years  since  his  death,  his  name  has 
been  one  of  the  most  prominent  in  our  retrospects  of 

« 

the  Pilgrim  days.  His  descendants  are  very  numer- 
ous. For  some  time  it  has  been,  by  these  his  de- 
scendants, in  contemplation  to  rear  a  monument  to 
his  memory.  On  the  i/th  of  August,  1871,  there 
was  a  very  large  gathering  of  these  descendants  at 
Duxbury,  to  consecrate  the  spot  on  Captain's  Hill, 
where  the  monument  was  to  be  reared.  Many  others, 
of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  our  land,  were  also 
present,  who  wished  to  unite  in  this  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  one  of  the  most  illustrious  names  in  Amer- 
ican annals.  President.  U.  S.  Grant  wrote,  regretting 
his  inability  to  be  present : 


360  MILES   STANDISH. 

"  I  am  heartily  with  your  association  in  sympathy, 
with  any  movement  to  honor  one  who  was  as  promi- 
nent in  the  early  history  of  our  country  as  Miles  Stan- 
dish  ;  but  my  engagements  are  such  that  I  regret  I 
am  unable  to  promise  to  be  present  in  August." 

In  the  reply  from  General  Hooker  to  an  invitation 
to  attend  the  celebration,  he  writes  : 

"  I  regret  to  state  that  my  engagements  for  the 
month  of  August  are  such  as  to  render  it  impossible 
for  me  to  join  you  on  that  memorable  occasion.  It  is 
unnecessary  for  me  to  say  that  I  deeply  sympathize 
with  the  object  of  your  meeting.  I  have  been  an  ad- 
mirer of  the  character  of  Myles  Standish  from  my 
boyhood  up,  and  would  like  to  be  identified  with  any 
body  of  gentlemen  engaged  in  commemorating  his 
great  virtues.  To  me,  his  civil  and  military  character 
towers  far  above  his  contemporaries,  and  they,  if  I 
mistake  not  (when  history  shall  be  truthfully  written), 
will  be  made  to  appear  to  be  the  most  remarkable 
body  of  men  that  ever  lived.  Viewed  from  our  pres- 
ent standpoint,  in  my  opinion,  they  are  now  entitled 
to  that  judgment.  It  will  be  a  graceful  act  on  the 
part  of  our  friends,  to  erect  a  monument  to  his  mem- 
ory ;  but  it  must  not  be  expected  to  add  to  his  fame 
or  immortality.  Industry,  valor,  and  integrity  were 
regarded  as  the  cardinal  virtues  of  our  forefathers, 
and  I  hope  they  will  never  be  held  in  less  estimation 


THE   STANDISH   MONUMENT.  .  361 

by  their  descendants.  One  of  our  gifted  poets  has 
happily  named  '  Plymouth  Rock '  as  the  corner-stone 
of  the  nation.  The  superstructure  promises  to  be 
worthy  of  the  foundation.  With  great  respect,  I  have 
the  honor  to  be  your  friend  and  servant, 

"  J.  HOOKER,  Major-General." 

Replies  of  a  similar  character  were  returned  by 
Generals  Sherman,  Sheridan  and  Burnside,  and  by 
W.  C.  Bryant.  General  Horace  Binney  Sargent  de- 
livered the  oration  on  this  occasion.  It  was  very  elo- 
quent in  its  truthful  delineation  of  the  character  and 
career  of  the  illustrious  Puritan  Captain.  Every 
reader  will  peruse  with  interest  the  following  grapic 
sketch  from  its  pages : 

"About  the  time  that  all  Christendom  was  in 
mourning  for  the  murdered  Prince  of  Orange,  and  de- 
ploring in  his  death  the  overthrow  of  the  bulwark  of 
the  Protestant  faith,  a  little  fair-haired  child  was  play- 
ing among  the  hedge-rows  of  England,  who  was  des- 
tined to  learn  the  art  of  war  in  the  armies  of  that 
king's  more  warlike  son,  Prince  Maurice,  then  a  boy 
of  seventeen,  and  to  be  a  tower  of  defence  to  the  un- 
soldierly  Pilgrim  colony  of  Protestant  America. 

"  That  child — whose  bones,  after  nearly  fourscore 

years  of  toil  and  war,  were  laid  somewhere  on  this 

hill-side,  perhaps  under  our  unconscious  feet — was 

Myles  Standish,  the  great  Puritan  Captain  !     He  was 

16 


MILES   STANDISH. 

born  about  the  year  1580,  of  English  ancestry,  dating 
back  to  rank  and  opulence  as  far  as  the  thirteenth 
century.  Of  his  childhood,  little  is  known.  To  de- 
feat the  title  of  his  line  to  lands  in  England,  the  rent- 
roll  of  which  is  half  a  million  per  annum,  the  hand 
of  fraud  is  supposed  to  have  defaced  the  page  that 
contained  the  parish  record  of  his  birth. 

"  Unjustly  deprived  of  these  vast  estates,  as  he 
avers  in  his  will,  in  which  he  bequeaths  his  title  to  his 
eldest  son,  it  seems  probable  that  he  went  to  Holland 
near  the  time  of  his  majority.  Queen  Elizabeth 
signed  his  commission  as  lieutenant  in  the  English 
forces,  serving  in  the  Netherlands  against  tfre  cruel 
armies  of  the  Inquisition.  As  she  died  in  1603, 
about  two  years  after  his  majority,  it  is  not  improba- 
ble that  we  are  indebted  to  that  first  disappointment, 
which  may  have  driven  him,  in  his  early  manhood  and 
some  despair,  into  the  army. 

"  From  1600  to  1609,  the  year  of  the  great  truce 
between  Prince  Maurice  and  the  King  of  Spain,  the 
contest  was  peculiarly  obstinate  and  bloody.  In  this 
fierce  school  the  Puritan  captain  learned  the  temper 
and  art  of  war. 

"  From  1609  to  1620,  a  period  of  truce  but  not  of 
civil  tranquility,  the  Low  Countries  were  inflamed 
by  those  theological  disputes  of  the  Calvinists  and 
Arminians  which  brought  the  excellent  Barneveldt 


THE    STANDISH   MONUMENT.  363 

to  the  scaffold,  and  drove  the  great  Grotius — a  fugi- 
tive from  prison — into  exile.  In  this  school,  perhaps, 
Myles  Standish  learned  some  uncompromising  relig- 
ious opinions,  which  brought  him  into  strange  sym- 
pathy and  connection  with  the  Pilgrim  church  in  Ley- 
den.  Both  periods  seemed  to  leave  their  impress  on 
his  character.  The  inventory,  recorded  with  his  will, 
mentions  the  Commentaries  of  Caesar,  Bariffe's  Artil- 
lery, three  old  Bibles,  and  three  muskets,  with  the 
harness  of  the  time,  complete.  His  Bibles  were  old. 
A  well-worn  Bible  for  every  musket ;  and,  thank  God, 
a  musket,  not  an  old  one,  to  defend  each  Bible ! 

"  The  schedule  of  his  books,  some  forty  in  number, 
records  nearly  twenty  which  are  devotional  or  reli- 
gious. With  the  memory  of  one  act  of  singularly 
resolute  daring,  when,  in  obedience  to  the  colonial 
orders  to  crush  a  great  Indian  conspiracy,  he  took  a 
squad  of  eight  picked  men  into  the  forests,  and 
deemed  it  prudent  to  kill  the  most  turbulent  warrior 
with  his  own  hands,  we  may  imagine  how  the  Pilgrim 
soldier,  friend  and  associate  of  Brewster,  disciple  of 
the  saintly  Robinson,  rose  from  the  perusal  of  one 
of  the  old  Bibles,  or  of  "  Ball  on  Faith,"  "  Spasles 
against  Heresie,"  or  "  Dodd  on  the  Lord's  Supper," 
to  stab  Pecksuot  to  the  heart  with  his  own  knife ;  a 
giant  who  had  taunted  him  with  his  small  stature,  in 
almost  the  very  words  of  Goliah  in  his  insulting 


364  MILES  STANDISH. 

sneer  at  David,  long  before  ;  and  to  cut  off  the  head 
of  Watawamat,  which  bloody  trophy  the  elders  had 
ordered  him  to  bring  home  with  him.  We  can  im- 
agine him  on  the  evening  of  that  cheaply  victorious 
day,  taking  more  than  usual  pleasure  in  the  exultant 
psalms  of  the  warrior  David,  and  in  a  chapter  of  Bur- 
rough's  "  Christian  Contentement "  and  "  Gospell  Con- 
versation," especially  as  he  had  his  three  muskets 
with  bandoleers,  and  Bariffe's  Artillery,  close  at  his 
hand.  One  can  feel  the  unction  with  which  the  val- 
orous Pilgrim  would  religiously  fulfil  the  colonial 
order  to  smite  the  heathen  hip  and  thigh,  and  hew 
Agag  in  pieces  before  the  Lord. 

"  Not  originally,  and  perhaps  never,  a  member  of 
the  Pilgrim  church,  and  possessing  many  traits  which 
might  have  belonged  to  the  fierce  trooper,  in  an  army 
whose  cavalry  was  the  legitimate  descendant  of 
Caesar's  most  formidable  enemies, — the  Batavi,  cele- 
brated for  cavalry  qualities,  and  long  the  body-guard 
of  the  Roman  emperors, — the  appearance  of  the 
somewhat  violent  soldier,  in  the  saintly  company  of 
Parson  Robinson's  church,  is  an  anomaly. 

"  It  has  been  proven  many  a  time,  from  the  days  of 
Bannockburn,  when  the  Scottish  host  sank  on  its 
knees  to  receive  the  benediction  of  the  Black  Abbot 
of  Inchaffray,  even  to  our  own  late  day,  when  many 
of  the  best  fighting  regiments  were  blessed  with  the 


THE   STANDISH    MONUMENT.  365 

most  earnest  chaplains,  that  men  never  tender  their 
lives  more  gallantly  to  God  and  mother-land  than 
when  they  are  fervently  preached  to  and  prayed  for. 

"  Yet  the  all-daring  contempt  for  peril,  the  rough- 
ness of  temper,  the  masterly  economy  with  which 
Standish  saved  human  life  by  consumate  indifference 
to  personal  homicide  upon  prudent  occasion,  his  pow- 
er of  breathing  his  own  fiery  heart  into  a  handful  of 
followers,  till  he  made  them  an  army  able  to  withstand 
a  host  in  the  narrow  gates  of  death,  would  lead  us  to 
expect  such  a  colleague  for  the  saintly  Brewster  as 
little  as  we  should  expect  to  see  Sheridan — 

" '  Cavalry  Sheridan, 
Him  of  the  horses  and  sabres  we  sing ' — 

prominent  among  the  Methodists. 

"  In  truth,  with  the  poem  of  our  sweetest  and  most 
cultured  bard  in  our  minds,  and  with  the  memory  of 
those  fierce  monosyllables  with  which  our  great  cav- 
alry leader  rolled  back  defeat  upon  the  jubilant  rebel 
host,  and  rescued  victory  at  Winchester,  fancy  can 
depict  the  foaming  black  horse  pressed  into  the  rush 
of  the  shell-shattered  guidons  by  the  iron  gripe  of 
knees  booted  in  "  Cordovan  leather,"  and  imagine  that 
little  Myles  Standish  rode  that  day  in  the  saddle  of 
little  Phil.  Sheridan. 

"  To  the  genealogist,  who  believes  that  names  rep- 


366  MILES   STANDISH. 

resent  qualities  and  things,  it  is  not  unpleasing  to  find 
in  the  family  record  of  Standish  and  Duxbury  Hall, 
in  the  parish  church  of  Chorley,  Old  England,  the 
name  Milo  Standanaught.  To  stand  at  nothing,  in 
the  way  of  a  duty  commanded  by  the  civil  authority, 
seemed  the  essence  of  character  in  Myles  Standish  ; 
and  thoroughness  stamps  the  reputation  of  the  name 
and  blood  to-day. 

"  The  materials  for  personal  biography  are  scanty. 
His  wife,  Rose  Standish, — an  English  rose, — whose 
very  name  augurs  unfitness  for  a  New  England  win- 
ter on  an  unsettled  cape,  died  within  a  month  of  the 
landing.  A  light  tradition  exists  that  his  second  wife, 
Barbara,  was  her  sister,  whom  he  left  an  orphan  child 
in  England,  and  sent  for.  She  arrived  a  woman 
grown,  and  the  valorous  captain  added  another  illus- 
tration to  the  poet's  story,  that  Venus  and  the  forger 
of  thunderbolts  were  married. 

"  From  the  first  anchorage,  Captain  Standish,  as 
the  soldier  of  the  company,  was  charged  with  all  deeds 
of  adventure.  At  first,  certain  grave  elders  were 
sent  with  him  for  counsel.  But  ultimately  his  repute 
in  affairs,  both  civil  and  military,  was  such  that  he  was 
for  many  years  the  treasurer  of  the  colony,  and,  dur- 
ing a  period  of  difficulty,  their  agent  in  England.  As 
a  soldier,  he  was  evidently  the  Von  Moltke  of  the 
Pilgrims  They  invested  him  with  the  general  com- 


THE   STANUISH    MONUMENT.  367 

mand.  Even  in  extreme  old  age — the  very  year  that 
he  died  "  very  auncient  and  full  of  dolorous  paines  "  — 
he  received  his  last  and  fullest  commission  against 
new  enemies,  his  old  friends,  the  Dutch. 

"  It  is  singular  that  among  the  primitive  people, 
who  must  often  in  the  later  Indian  wars  have  missed 
his  counsel  and  conduct,  as  the  poet  describing 
Venice,  sighs, — 

" '  Oh  !  for  one  hour  of  blind  old  Dandole.' 

no  clear  tradition  has  descended  of  the  place  where 
the  war-worn  bones  of  the  soldier-pilgrim  lie.  Sent, 
like  Moses,  to  guide  and  guard  a  feeble  people  to  a 
promised  land  of  power  that  he  might  never  see,  no 
man  knoweth  his  burial-place  until  this  day. 

"  More  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  the  following 
paragraph  appeared  in  the  Boston  "  News-Letter," 
dated  Boston,  January  22,  1 770 :  "  We  hear  from? 
Plymouth  that  the  22d  day  of  December  last  was  there 
observed  by  a  number  of  gentlemen,  by  the  name  of 
the  Old  Colony  Club,  in  commemoration  of  the  land- 
ing of  their  ancestors  in  that  place." 

"  The  fourth  toast  on  that  occasion,  a  hundred  and 
one  years  ago,  was,  "  To  the  memory  of  that  brave 
man  and  good  officer,  Capt.  Miles  Standish." 

"  Over  the  graves  of  the  guests  at  that  dinner, — 

"  '  For  fifty  years  the  grasses  have  beeiv  growing.' 


368  MILES   STANDISH. 

Cut  the  principle  of  public  fidelity  shares  the  immor- 
tality of  God  and  Truth.  Reverence  for  it  never  dies 
till  the  decay  of  nations.  And  to-day  we  come  to- 
gether, the  dwellers  in  the  city  and  the  dwellers  on 
the  shore,  men  of  every  age  and  all  professions,  to 
dedicate  one  spot  of  this  parental  soil  for  an  enduring 
monument  to  the  same  Myles  Standish  of  the  same 
unladed  record.  The  s'unlight  of  near  three  hundred 
years,  that  has  shone  fatal  on  many  a  reputation  since 
his  baby  eyes  first  saw  the  light  of  England,  has  only 
brought  out  the  lasting  colors  of  his  fame. 

"  Believing,  as  I  firmly  do,  that  he  was  a  useful,  a 
necessary  citizen,  because  he  was  'that  brave  man 
and  good  officer '  at  a  time  when  soldierly  qualities 
were  essential  to  the  very  life  of  the  infant  colony,  it 
seems  to  me  providential  for  the  colonists  that  one  of 
their  number  was,  by  temper  and  training,  unable  to 
sympathize  with  that  soft  tenderness  for  human  life 
which  is  wont  to  characterize  saintly-minded  men, 
like  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson,  who,  when  he  heard  of 
the  marvelous  conflict  where  Standish,  with  three  or 
four  others,  in  a  locked  room,  killed  the  same  number 
of  hostile  chiefs  that  were  gathering  their  tribes  to 
exterminate  the  English,  uttered  these  sorrowful 
words  :  '  Oh  !  that  you  had  converted  some  before 
you  had  killed  any ! ' 

"  The  soldier  practised  that  terrible  piece  of  econ- 


THE   STANDISH   MONUMENT.  369 

omy  which  no  saint  of  the  company  would  have 
dreamed  of  doing  with  his  own  hand.  To  borrow  the 
diction  of  the  time,  the  gauntlet  of  the  man  of  wrath 
was  the  fold  of  the  lambs  of  God.  It  was  fortu- 
nate for  us  who  believe  in  Plymouth  Rock,  that  one 
trained  soldier,  who  had  faced  war  conducted  by  the 
Duke  of  Alva,  came  out  in  the  Mayflower. 

"  Myles  Standish  represented  the  true  idea  of 
public  service,  vigorous  fidelity,  and  trained  fitness 
for  his  place.  In  his  single  heroic  person  he  pre- 
sented the  true  idea  of  the  army, — skilled  military 
force  in  loyal  subordination  to  the  civil  authority. 
The  confidence  that  the  colony  reposed  in  him  to  exe- 
cute their  most  difficult  commands  as  a  soldier,  seems 
to  prove  that  he  revered,  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Robin- 
son's farewell  sermon, '  the  image  of  the  Lord's  power 
and  authority  which  the  magistrate  beareth.' 

"To  be  the  founders  of  states  is  the  first  of  glo- 
ries, according  to  Lord  Bacon.  The  career  of  our 
Pilgrim  hero  is  a  beautiful  illustration  of  an  education 
fitted  to  the  great  mission  for  which  he  seemed  pecul- 
iarly, strangely  ordained. 

"  In  grateful  memory  we  consecrate  this  spot  of 
earth  to  a  monument  of  the  great  Puritan  Captain. 
May  its  shadow  fall  upon  his  grave  !  For  two  cen- 
turies the  stars  have  looked  upon  it.  At  what  mo 

ment  of  the  night  the  circling  moon  may  point  it  out 
1 6* 


37-}  MILES   STANDISH. 

with  shadowy  finger,  no  mortal  knows.  No  mortal 
ear  can  hear  the  secret  whispered  to  the  night,  '  Be- 
neath this  spot  lies  all  of  a  hero  that  could  die.'  " 

Several  other  eloquent  addresses  were  made  upon 
the  occasion  by  General  B.  F.  Butler,  Dr.  Loring, 
and  other  gentlemen  of  the  highest  social  standing. 
The  community  is  deeply  indebted  to  Stephen  M. 
Allen,  Esq.,  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Dux- 
bury,  for  the  time  and  money  he  has  devoted  to 
furtherance  of  this  good  enterprise.  As  Correspond- 
ing Secretary  of  the  Standish  Memorial  Association, 
he  has  been  one  of  the  most  efficient  agents  in  push- 
ing forward  the  truly  patriotic  undertaking. 

On  Monday,  the  7th  of  October,  1872,  the  corner 
stone  of  the  Standish  monument  was  laid.  It  was  in- 
deed a  gala  day  in  the  ancient  town  of  Duxbury.  It 
is  estimated  that  ten  thousand  people  were  present. 
The  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company,  of 
Boston,  acted  as  escort  to  the  procession.  Several 
Masonic  Lodges,  with  their  glittering  paraphernalia 
took  part  in  the  imposing  ceremonies.  As  the  long 
procession  wound  up  the  slope  of  Captain's  Hill, 
thousands  of  spectators  lined  their  path  on  either  side. 
A  memorial  box  was  deposited  under  the  corner-stone 
with  a  metallic  plate  which  bore  the  following  in- 
scription : 


THE   STANDISH   MONUMENT.  371 

THE  CORNER  STONE 

OF  THE 

STANDISH    MEMORIAL, 
IN    COMMEMORATION  OF  THE   CHARACTER  AND  SERVICES 


CAPTAIN  MYLES  STANDISH, 
THE   FIRST   COMMISSIONED   MILITARY   OFFICER 

OF  NEW  ENGLAND, 
Laid  on  the  summit  of  Captain's  Hill,  in  Duxbury,  under 

the  Superintendence  ot 

THE  ANCIENT  AND   HONORABLE  ARTILLERY  COMPANY 
OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 

In  presence  of 
THE  STANDISH  MONUMENT  ASSOCIATION, 

BY  THE 

M.  W.   GRAND   LODGE  OF  FREE   MASONS, 

OF   MASSACHUSETTS 
M.  W.    SERENO   D.    NICKERSON,  GRANDMASTER, 

ON    THE     SEVENTH    DAY    OF   OCTOBER,   A.   D.    1872. 

Being  the  Two  Hundred  and  Fifty-second  Year  since 

the  First  Settlement  of  New  England 

BY  THE 

PILGRIM  FATHERS. 

SITE   CONSECRATED   AUGUST   17,   1871. 

ASSOCIATION    INCORPORATED    MAY    4,    1873. 

ASSOCIATION    ORGANIZED,    AND    GROUND    BROKEN,   JUNE 

17^   1878. 
CORNER  OF  FOUNDATION  LAID  AUGUST  9,  1872. 

This  fine  shaft  rises  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  from 
its  base,  and  is  surmounted  by  a  bronze  statue  of  the 


372  MILES   STANDISH. 

Captain,  in  full  uniform,  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  is 
said  to  be  a  truthful  likeness.  The  diameter  of  the 
shaft,  at  its  base,  is  twenty-eight  feet.  The  structure 
is  of  the  finest  quality  of  Quincy  granite.  I  will  close 
this  brief  narrative  with  the  eloquent  words  of  Gen. 
Horace  Binney  Sargent : 

"  High  as  the  shaft  may  tower  over  headland  and 
bay ;  deep  as  its  foundation-stones  may  rest ;  brightly 
as  it  may  gleam  in  the  rising  or  setting  sun  upon  the 
mariner  returning  in  the  very  furrow  that  the  keel  of 
the  Mayflower  made,  the  principles  of  common-sense, 
a  citizen  soldier's  education  for  a  citizen  soldier's  work, 
the  principles  of  moral  truth,  manly  honesty,  prudent 
energy,  fidelity  incorruptible,  courage  undauntable, 
all  the  qualities  of  manhood  that  compel  unflinching 
execution  of  the  states'  behest, — are  firmer  and  high- 
er and  brighter  still.  And  to  crown  them  all  is  rev- 
erence to  the  Supreme  Executive  of  Earth  and 
Heaven,  who  knows  no  feebleness  of  heart  or  hand, 
and  whose  great  purpose  moved  the  war-worn  Pil- 
grim's feet  'to  seek  his  home  upon  this  rock-bound 
continent,  where  the  unceasing  waves  of  two  unfet- 
tered oceans  roar  the  choral  hymn  of  Freedom." 


THE    END. 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


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